Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, is currently in Beijing to explore the possibility of enabling Full Self Driving (FSD) mode on Tesla cars in China. This move aims to discuss transferring data collected in China abroad to train Tesla’s algorithms and enable autonomous driving features.
While FSD is available in countries like the US, it has not yet been introduced in China. Musk’s visit underscores Tesla’s interest in expanding its autonomous driving capabilities to one of its significant markets.
The decision to pursue FSD in China comes amidst concerns raised in the US, where Tesla’s autonomous driving modes have been linked to several crashes, including one fatality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating whether a recent recall effectively addressed safety concerns related to Tesla’s driver assistance system.
Despite Tesla’s efforts to ensure driver engagement and safety while using autonomous features, the NHTSA found instances where drivers were not adequately engaged. Musk has previously envisioned Tesla vehicles operating as autonomous “robotaxis,” although critics accuse him of overhyping the technology’s capabilities to boost Tesla’s stock price.
In light of Tesla’s declining profits and stock performance this year, Musk’s visit to Beijing and the potential expansion of autonomous driving capabilities in China reflect the company’s ongoing efforts to maintain competitiveness and address global market demands.