Tesla has quietly integrated Chinese-developed artificial intelligence into its in-car voice assistant for customers in China.
According to recently filed documentation, Tesla’s infotainment system in China now uses two large language models: Doubao, a product of ByteDance, for standard voice commands such as navigation, music playback, and climate control; and DeepSeek Chat, a conversational AI model developed by Beijing-based startup DeepQuest, for more advanced interactive dialogue.
The partnership reflects the constraints Tesla faces under China’s strict data localization laws. These regulations prevent the automaker from routing voice or AI interaction data to overseas servers, effectively blocking its use of Grok, the artificial intelligence assistant created by Elon Musk’s xAI, which has been rolling out in the United States, and which will hopefully arrive soon in Canada.
While Chinese drivers will now interact with DeepSeek inside their Teslas, North American customers are unlikely to ever see a similar integration. Aside from the obvious reason that Tesla uses Grok on this side of the world, there are also concerns around data security. DeepSeek’s servers, like those of most Chinese AI providers, are subject to Chinese cybersecurity and data regulations. Any attempt to bring the model into North America would raise immediate concerns over user privacy, data sharing, and potential state access to sensitive information.
Tesla isn’t the first automaker in China to turn to DeepSeek. In February, BYD integrated the AI model into its advanced driver-assistance systems.
Along with integrating DeepSeek, Tesla has also introduced a wake word for its voice assistant in China. The default wake word is ‘Hey, Tesla’, but customers can also create their own.
