Tesla Switches FSD Name in China Again as Launch Nears

Tesla has renamed its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) in China. This is the second time the EV maker has adjusted the name of the feature as it awaits approval.

The Tesla China website now lists the ADAS package as Tesla Assisted Driving (TAD), rather than Full Self-Driving (FSD) as elsewhere. The package remains priced at 64,000 yuan (C$13,010/US$9,420).

The new name is not entirely new in China, as Tesla has been offering a pared-down FSD version in the world’s largest auto market.

Last year, Tesla dropped FSD from the name, leaving it as simply Intelligent Assisted Driving. However, the recent change comes at an interesting time for several reasons, leading many to believe a full rollout is imminent.

First, Tesla posted on X earlier this week listing the countries/territories where FSD Supervised is now available. China was on the list, along with regional neighbor South Korea.

However, Tesla has not yet obtained full approval in China. During the Q1 earnings call, officials said the company plans to launch full FSD in China in the third quarter.

Second, US President Donald Trump just completed a state visit to China. Tesla CEO Elon Musk was among the high-profile business leaders who accompanied the president.

Tesla China has also posted vacancies for FSD testers, implying it is actively validating and testing the system ahead of a wider rollout.

Tesla will launch FSD in China, where rivals Xiaomi and Huawei are already gaining traction with their own smart-driving systems. This gives Chinese car shoppers more advanced autonomous navigation choices than in some other countries.

It is noteworthy that Tesla China is still advertising a one-time fee for FSD, even though Tesla has adopted a subscription-based model in the rest of the world, most recently in Europe and the U.K. earlier this week.