Musk: Tesla’s FSD Expected to Receive Approval in China by Year-End

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system is nearing a critical phase in its entry into the Chinese market, following six months of discussions and anticipation, as mentioned by CEO Elon Musk during the recent earnings call. Musk revealed plans to seek regulatory approval for supervised FSD in Europe and China, aiming for approval by the end of the year.

In June, Shanghai’s Lingang New Area initiated a pilot program for FSD, involving road tests of 10 Tesla vehicles. Despite FSD not yet being launched in China, it has been available with the Model 3 since its release at a price of 64,000 yuan, and a potential subscription model priced around $98 per month is being considered.

Tesla is also exploring the possibility of licensing FSD to other Chinese automakers, which could create new revenue streams. This comes at a crucial time as Tesla’s sales in China dropped by 7.6% from January to April 2024 due to increased competition from local electric vehicle manufacturers.

Additionally, a recent report from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers and the National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team Coordination Center confirmed that all models produced at Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory meet regulatory compliance, making Tesla the only foreign-funded company to achieve this status in China.

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