Tesla has joined forces with Baidu to enhance its mapping software. The collaboration is anticipated to significantly improve Tesla’s prospects of securing regulatory approval for FSD in the region.
Over the weekend, Baidu revealed plans to offer lane-level navigation services to Tesla vehicles in China. According to a report by CNN, Baidu stated that its navigation services would provide drivers with more detailed information, thereby enhancing overall driving safety.
Baidu explained, “With the support of Baidu’s lane-level map, Tesla’s navigation can accurately render lane changes on the road the user is currently on, upgrading from providing road-level guidance to providing lane-level guidance.”
Sources familiar with the matter had previously indicated that Tesla was actively pursuing registration of its FSD system with Chinese authorities. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, reportedly proposed the testing of FSD functions in Tesla vehicles already deployed in the Chinese market during his visit to Beijing in April. Musk also suggested exploring the integration of Full Self-Driving into Chinese taxi services.
In late April 2024, reports emerged suggesting that Tesla’s FSD had received tentative approval in China. Subsequent rumors hinted at a potential partnership between Tesla and Baidu for vehicle mapping and navigation services.
During Tesla’s Q1 2024 earnings call, Elon Musk highlighted the versatility of FSD, stating, “So, think about the end-to-end neural net-based autonomy is that just like a human, it actually works pretty well without modification in almost any market. So, we plan on — with the approval of the regulators, releasing it as a supervised autonomy system in any market that — where we can get regulatory approval for that, which we think includes China. So, yes, it’s — just like a human, you can go rent a car in a foreign country and you can drive pretty well.”
He further added, “Obviously, if you live in that country, you’ll drive better. And so, we’ll make the car drive better in these other countries with country-specific training. But it can drive quite well almost everywhere.”
The partnership between Tesla and Baidu underscores a concerted effort to advance autonomous driving technologies in China, paving the way for safer and more efficient transportation systems in the region.
