Tesla brings 'Full Self-Driving' to China after years of delays as local EV rivals race ahead

After a prolonged period of anticipation, Tesla has officially launched its 'Full Self-Driving' (FSD) capabilities for electric vehicles in China. This announcement, made on Thursday, positions China as one of the ten markets where Tesla's FSD (Supervised) system is now active. The move comes as domestic electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers in China have already rolled out their own self-driving technologies. This pivotal update was shared on X, a platform owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, marking a significant milestone for the automaker in the Chinese market. Until now, Tesla customers in China had limited access to the company’s Autopilot and Enhanced Autopilot systems, which serve as preliminary versions of the FSD system. Only a select number of users had access to restricted versions of the FSD as the company awaited necessary regulatory approvals. According to Tesla's China website, the FSD feature is available for the Model 3 sedan at a one-time cost of 64,000 Chinese yuan (approximately $9,409). Although Musk had revealed intentions to introduce the FSD system to China in 2024, these plans have faced significant delays. In July 2024, Musk expressed optimism regarding receiving regulatory approval by the end of that year, but subsequent updates indicated that the technology was still pending official clearance. As speculation grew regarding the approval of Tesla's self-driving technology, reports surfaced indicating that the company was actively hiring for roles related to autonomous driving in China. Meanwhile, local competitors, including Xiaomi and Xpeng, have made substantial advancements in their self-driving technologies, while firms like Pony.ai and Baidu's Apollo Go have been progressing in the robotaxi sector. In the competitive landscape of electric vehicles, Tesla China ranked fourth in sales in April, trailing behind notable brands such as BYD, Geely, and Chery, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association. As of now, Tesla has not provided comments on the recent developments, and inquiries to China's embassy in Singapore went unanswered.