Tesla plans to release full self-driving in China, Europe early next year

Tesla Inc. plans to launch the advanced driver assistance system that it calls Full Self Driving technology in China and Europe in the first quarter of next year, pending regulatory approvals.

The official X account of Tesla AI, an affiliate of the electric vehicle maker, posted a release road map Thursday, outlining upcoming technology launches.

The announcement signals the company is on track to gain permission from authorities in these regions for the technology, which it sees as a way to boost sales and stay ahead of Chinese rivals who are also working on similar driver assistance systems.

Tesla made big inroads in gaining approval for the China market after it passed data security assessments and reached a mapping and navigation deal with tech giant Baidu Inc. The company also got the nod to test FSD technology in Shanghai streets, Bloomberg reported in June.

Still, FSD has come under increased scrutiny in the U.S., even as Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk stakes Tesla’s future on solving autonomy. Despite the technology’s name, Tesla and industry experts say that drivers must keep their hands on the steering wheel and pay attention to the road while using the software.

Musk said on an earnings call in July that he expected the FSD driver system to be approved in Europe, China and other countries by the end of the year. He also wrote on X in April that the roll-out in China “may be possible very soon.”

If FSD is approved, it could help the EV maker in staying ahead in China – its largest overseas market and where dozens of brands are eroding Tesla’s market share and developing their own advanced driver assistance technology. Tesla’s China shipments in the first eight months of this year have fallen about 6% compared with last year, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association.