FSD China launch inches closer with Baidu deal and Tesla CEO’s China visit

Full Self Driving (FSD) launch is inching closer in China as Tesla CEO, Elon Musk has marked a regulatory approval featuring local map services giant Baidu.

The latest development in this story comes amid Musk’s visit to China and meeting with top officials from top government officials. It’s revealed that Tesla has signed an agreement with Baidu to use its navigation and map technology.

A week ago, Baidu released Map V20, which comes in four versions, Basic Edition, 3D Advanced, 3D Ultimate, and SR Smart Driving Edition. The new maps are designed for mobiles and smart cars.

It provides real-time lane-level navigation, traffic lights, map services, and other features specially designed for cars. Among these, Baidu’s lane-level navigation can also be used in cities, which accounts for 95%.

The map gained capabilities including smart lane and lane-level route recommendations based on lane-level positioning, lane-road conditions, and traffic lights for efficient travel. Lane changing is a key FSD aspect and the technology relies on maneuvering across different roads and traffic conditions.

Car makers in China require a mapping certification before launching smart driving services. In that case, an overseas firm would need to partner with a domestic company to obtain the license. This partnership is a stepping stone for Tesla to acquire the FSD launch.

It’s not the first time Tesla is partnering with Baidu as both have been engaged in business since 2020. However, the new map version will enable the company to get more accurate lane and traffic information.

Data Issues

Aside from Baidu, Musk seeks approval to rollout FSD in China and fetch its data overseas to train the FSD algorithm with a different traffic scenario.

Since 2021, the Chinese regulator has asked Tesla to store all driving data collected from domestic Teslas in Shanghai. This local storage will bar the company from sending it back to the home ground.

Gaining access to this data will be a major focus of the Tesla CEO aside from launching the FSD services. However, no official announcements have been made about Musk’s visit to China.

(source – CNBC)