MADRID, 18 Oct. — The Chinese government has postponed the launch of Tesla's full self-driving system due to concerns over mapping recognition and data security. Local media reported this delay on Friday.
While Tesla has received approval from Xi Jinping's administration to test some autonomous driving features, the official rollout faces hurdles as no full self-driving system has been approved for public roads, including for domestic manufacturers.
This setback comes six months after Tesla CEO Elon Musk sought permission to introduce his robotaxi service in mainland China, Tesla's second-largest market after the United States, during discussions with top Chinese officials.
Tesla AI, responsible for the development of the self-driving software, announced plans to implement the system in Europe and China by the first quarter of 2025, pending regulatory approval. The official launch price for the full self-driving system is expected to be around 64,000 yuan (over 8,300 euros) annually.
Despite its name, Tesla's 'Full Self Driving' does not allow vehicles to operate entirely autonomously; drivers must remain alert and ready to take control when necessary. Since 2016, Musk has promised investors that Tesla would eventually deliver technology capable of fully autonomous driving, but regulatory and technical limitations have hindered progress.