Tesla seeks robotaxi licence in China to test its self-driving software following Elon Musk visit to Beijing: report
- by scmp.com
- May 08, 2024
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in robotaxis in designated areas in cities like Beijing, Guangzhou and Wuhan.
Tourists enjoy the night view of the Bund on May 10, 2023 in Shanghai. Photo: Getty Images
“Testing FSD on robotaxis means Tesla has not received the nod from Beijing to fully commercialise the autonomous driving technology,” said Gao Shen, an independent industry analyst based in Shanghai. “For Chinese fans of Tesla cars and technologies, robotaxis provide an opportunity to experience the FSD. It will be a good start.”
Musk landed in Beijing on April 28
before meeting Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss Tesla’s operations on the mainland, fuelling speculation that the FSD software would get the green light to be widely used in China. Tesla charges US$8,000 for its FSD software in the US, or US$99 a month for a subscription.
Grace Tao, Tesla’s vice-president of external relations in China, wrote a commentary piece in the People’s Daily on April 26, saying autonomous driving is a key growth driver for China’s electric-vehicle sector. The technology will hatch new business models such as robotaxis, she added.
The key question is whether Tesla will be allowed to transfer data collected in China to the US to train algorithms for its autonomous driving technologies, analysts said. Without that, the value of basic FSD features currently installed in Tesla models operating in China is limited, they added.
China is now the second-largest market for Tesla, with 603,664 deliveries last year, trailing only the US market. The Texas-based manufacturer handed 654,888 units to American customers last year, a 25 per cent increase from a year earlier.
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