Tesla is set to begin large-scale testing of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature in China, according to a report by local media outlet Caixin.
All Tesla vehicles in China currently come with the free basic Autopilot (AP) software, with Enhanced Autopilot (EAP) and FSD software available as options. EAP and FSD cost RMB 32,000 ($6,200 CAD) and RMB 64,000 ($12,500 CAD) in China, respectively. Tesla launched the EAP feature option in China back in February 2021, adding several more features compared to AP.
Despite the availability of the optional FSD capability in China, consumers who have purchased the package have so far been unable to gain access to the FSD Beta testing that has been ongoing in North America since October 2020. That may soon change, according to local media reports.
Buried in a story on Chinese automaker BYD and their self-driving efforts, Caixin reports that Tesla is about to begin “large-scale testing” of FSD in China.
“However, according to Caixin, Tesla, which dominates the 200,000 to 300,000 RMB price range and the higher-end market, is about to start large-scale testing of fully autonomous driving (Full Self-Driving) in China,” the report states (translated from Chinese)
The announcement follows similar rumors that surfaced last week from auto blogger Zheng Xiaokang, who has 532,000 followers on Weibo. The blogger said that Tesla China will soon push out a major update to Autopilot, but did not provide further details. (via CnEVPost)
While Tesla is apparently preparing to launch FSD Beta in China, their competitors have been releasing advanced driver-assist features. Those systems, like XPeng’s City Navigation Guided Pilot (City NGP), can perform driving tasks like keeping a safe distance from other cars, changing lanes or overtaking, moving around obstacles. It will also follow traffic lights, make turns, take roundabouts, and more. However unlike Tesla, which only relies on cameras, Xpeng’s system uses cameras, LiDAR units, millimeter-wave radars, high-precision positioning units and other sensor hardware.
