Tesla Promotes Camera-Based Self-Driving Tech in China Amid Regulatory Delays

Tesla is pushing forward with its camera-based autonomous driving system in China, reaffirming its stance against lidar technology as it awaits regulatory approval for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature.

Credit: TESLA

In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Sunday, Tesla said it would continue to rely on “visual processing solutions” to deliver safer intelligent driving across various scenarios. The company added that this approach demonstrates that “advanced technology doesn’t require expensive, complicated sensors.”

The announcement is part of Tesla’s broader social media campaign in China, reinforcing Chief Executive Elon Musk’s long-standing scepticism of lidar, which uses lasers to measure distances and is often praised for its precision. Musk previously called the use of lidar in electric vehicles “a fool’s errand” due to high production costs.

Despite Tesla’s position, lidar adoption is growing in China. A recent report by China Securities indicated that one in four new cars in the country this year is expected to include at least one lidar sensor.

Tesla’s FSD system, which is trained using video clips from real-life driving, remains unavailable in China pending regulatory approval. In late February, new policies required carmakers to submit detailed technical data before releasing software updates remotely. As a result, Tesla suspended a free FSD trial last month.

In February, Tesla began allowing customers in China to pre-order the FSD feature for 64,000 yuan (USD 8,800). However, the current version is not trained on data from Chinese road conditions.

Chinese regulators have increased scrutiny of autonomous driving technologies. Last month, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology summoned executives from 60 companies, urging them to avoid using terms like “smart driving,” “advanced smart driving,” and “autonomous driving” in marketing materials.

Tesla did not participate in China’s largest auto show in Shanghai last month for the second consecutive year. Meanwhile, domestic competitors such as BYD, Geely, Xiaomi, and Nio showcased their latest innovations. Huawei Technologies also expanded its presence in the self-driving EV sector by forming a safety alliance with 11 Chinese carmakers.

Tesla’s sales in China, its second-largest market, have declined. The company sold 78,828 China-made vehicles in March, an 11.5% drop from the same month last year, according to the China Passenger Car Association.

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• Tesla is promoting its camera-based self-driving system in China

• The company continues to reject lidar technology due to cost concerns

• FSD feature remains unavailable in China pending regulatory approval

Source: SCMP