For years, Tesla owner in China have been not-so-patiently waiting for the company to unfurl its Full Self-Driving (FSD) tech in the world’s largest auto market. Well, it seems that highly anticipated rollout could soon become a reality if recent intel is anything to go by.
Over the past few weeks, eagle-eyed Tesla employees in China have noticed some tantalizing new settings pop up on their in-car displays related to an “Employee FSD Beta Program.” The wording clearly indicates registration for what appears to be multiple initial FSD beta test groups or “waves.”
Now, before you get too excited, it’s worth noting that despite these FSD beta references making an appearance after a recent software update, the actual self-driving features haven’t been enabled on employee vehicles just yet. So we’re not at the finish line, but it certainly feels like we’re inching closer, doesn’t it?
The apparent for some kind of Tesla FSD v12 is an encouraging sign, especially when you consider the regulatory hurdles the automaker has had to clear in China over the past couple of years. Tesla partnering with Baidu to unlock FSD in China, jumping through regulatory hoops.
Lest we forget, Chinese authorities whacked Tesla with a regulatory reality check back in 2021, temporarily suspending the company’s online driving assistant software and forcing an overhaul of its data storage practices over security concerns.
Slowly but surely, however, Tesla seems to have gotten the red tape situation under control. Earlier this year, reports indicated the company had secured the necessary permits and approval from Beijing’s motoring authorities to officially unleash its FSD tech on public roads.
Tesla FSD’s China Rollout: Upcoming or “Upcoming+”?
So when can Chinese Tesla owners actually expect to get that long-overdue taste of FSD? Well, a precise launch timeline remains unclear, but a prominent Chinese Tesla blogger recently claimed they can “confirm that since the spring update, some Tesla China employees’ cars have had the words ‘Employee FSD Beta Program: Registered’ on them.”
Of course, Tesla has been notoriously bad at sticking to launch promises and timelines in the past. But if an employee beta is indeed kicking off, a wider public release across China could potentially follow sooner rather than later.
Related Post: Tesla Teams Up With Baidu to Bring Its Self-Driving FSD to China