Tesla Forced to Rename “Full Self-Driving” Feature in China
Tesla, the electric vehicle giant, is set to rebrand its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) feature in China as “Intelligent Assisted Driving,” following regulatory pressure and safety concerns. The company’s customer support team announced the change on Weibo, China’s popular social media platform, indicating that the process to finalize the update is underway.
This development comes in the wake of Chinese regulators indefinitely delaying the approval timeline for Tesla’s FSD software. The decision follows the suspension of a free trial of the software in the country, highlighting the intensifying regulatory scrutiny Tesla faces in the Chinese market.
Chinese authorities have expressed significant concerns over the software’s safety and functionality. During testing on public roads, the FSD feature has been linked to numerous traffic violations, including misinterpreting bike lanes, running red lights, and improperly using bus lanes. These issues have resulted in fines and raised alarm among Chinese Tesla owners.
The stricter regulatory environment in China contrasts sharply with the company’s experience in the United States. Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” nomenclature has been criticized as misleading, given that the feature still requires driver intervention. In 2022, the California Department of Motor Vehicles accused Tesla of false advertising regarding its FSD and Autopilot features.
Tesla’s marketing language has faced criticism beyond regulatory bodies. A former US transportation secretary described the naming convention as lacking “common sense,” further emphasizing the disconnect between the feature’s name and its actual capabilities.
In response to these challenges, Tesla has already removed the term “Autopilot” from the Chinese version of its software, renaming it “Basic Assisted Driving.” This latest change to “Intelligent Assisted Driving” for the FSD feature appears to be another step towards aligning the product’s name with its actual functionality.
The implications of these changes extend beyond China’s borders. Tesla’s marketing approach has been linked to numerous accidents and fatalities in the United States, raising questions about the company’s global strategy for autonomous driving technology.
Despite these setbacks, Tesla remains committed to launching the software in China, pending regulatory approval. The name change may signal the company’s willingness to comply with regulatory demands in one of its most crucial markets.
As the autonomous driving landscape continues to evolve, Tesla’s experience in China could set a precedent for how tech companies navigate complex regulatory environments while pursuing cutting-edge technologies.
