Tesla aims to launch its FSD software in China

Tesla is trying to get its advanced driver assistant “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) software registered with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, according to sources speaking to Reuters. It’s a preliminary step that could lead to employee testing of the system before it eventually rolls out to customers in Tesla’s second-largest global market.

The news comes after CEO Elon Musk’s visit to China last month when government officials lifted restrictions on Tesla vehicle use, and the company secured a deal to collect mapping data. FSD currently costs $99 per month in the US, or $8,000, for a one-time activation, and according to Reuters’ sources, in China, it could have a similar monthly subscription fee. It will also face competition from Chinese automakers like BYD, Nio, and Xpeng, which already have advanced driver-assistance systems available in the country.

The Tesla FSD system currently available in China is a less capable iteration of the software, similar to the company’s Autopilot system that can assist with steering but doesn’t automatically navigate city streets. In the US, a report released by NHTSA in April linked FSD and Autopilot to hundreds of crashes and dozens of deaths.

Tesla has also not yet launched FSD in Europe. As we wrote in 2022, “To obtain that approval, Tesla must convincingly demonstrate that cars with FSD are at least as safe as those without it. At least so far, it hasn’t.”