Tesla has announced plans to roll out its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature in China once it secures regulatory approval, following complaints from users about a temporary pause in the free trial program.
The electric vehicle giant addressed the delay via its Weibo customer support account, stating, “All parties are actively advancing the relevant process, and we will push it to you as soon as it is ready. We are also looking forward to it, please wait patiently.” The message was posted under a thread on the account of Tesla Vice President Grace Tao.
Tesla had initially planned to offer a free trial of its FSD service in China from March 17 to April 16. The advanced driver-assistance system, powered by generative artificial intelligence, is designed to handle complex traffic conditions.
The company is working with Chinese tech giant Baidu to enhance the system’s performance in China. However, unlike in the United States, where FSD can function without accurate or up-to-date navigation maps, Tesla has faced challenges in China due to strict data regulations that prevent the company from training its system using data from its 2 million EVs in the country.
In February, China’s industry ministry introduced new rules requiring regulatory approval for over-the-air software updates related to autonomous driving technology. Tesla is now navigating these regulatory hurdles before launching FSD in the Chinese market.