Tesla is likely to launch the Full Self-Driving (FSD) in China since there are reports suggesting that the car manufacturer has already planned to register the availing high-end technology with the Chinese authorities. The US electric vehicle giant is also considering the idea of charging users in China a monthly fee to use the software as it steps into its second-largest market.
Obtaining registration approval from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology would allow Tesla to begin internal testing of FSD on roads legally in China in the near future, in preparation for offering the feature to Chinese users with a paid upgrade afterwards, both sources said. Currently, Tesla offers two relatively inferior versions of the Autopilot driving automation system in China.
Currently, Tesla provides FSD for cell owners for an initial payment of 64,000 yuan (USD 8,828.32). However, the company could decide to make the service paid in the future, which if we calculate could be around USD 98 subscription fee per month according to the sources. Furthermore, based on the articles obtained from Reuters, Tesla has previously considered to allow FSD to be used in cars made by other manufacturers in China.
By introducing the FSD in China, it appears not only as a new revenue stream for the company but also as an indicator of the strategic change enacted by Tesla to turn data collected in China towards the advancement of the self-driving technology all around the world. This comes alongside Tesla’s efforts of rolling out the new version 12 of FSD in China – a feat that Musk has noted is a great leap towards full self-driving solutions.
The supposed roll out comes at a time when the Chinese market has posed some challenges to Tesla in terms of sales with figures having dipped by 7.13% in the initial four months of the year due to highly competitive rivalry and a surge in discounts set by Chinese EV makers.
Analysts anticipate that Tesla’s FSD push in China could catalyze innovation within the country’s burgeoning EV sector, compelling other startups to expedite their research and development efforts. Despite requests for comment, Tesla remained silent on the matter. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, cited the confidential nature of the plans.