Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology’s approval process in China is making it harder for Elon Musk’s company to achieve another major goal. Musk has been promising advancements in autonomous vehicles for years, many of which have been delayed. However, recent developments show that Tesla will have to struggle for a while longer to bring this vision to the Chinese market.

Tesla’s Autonomous Driving Plans Hit a Wall in China

Elon Musk plans to shape Tesla’s future around fully autonomous driving technology, but one of the company’s biggest steps, Full Self-Driving (FSD), is facing a new obstacle in China while waiting for approval.

Tesla FSD Tesla had announced that FSD would be available in China and Europe by 2025, but Chinese authorities have stated that the approval has been indefinitely delayed. Just recently, the approval was expected by this spring, but now the situation is uncertain.

China is Tesla’s second-largest market and also has a rapidly growing electric vehicle (EV) sector. Chinese manufacturers have established significant dominance in the global EV market, so delays in FSD approval could cause Tesla to lose its competitive edge in this larger market. Moreover, Chinese authorities might be using FSD as leverage in trade wars, putting Musk’s company under pressure.

The difficulties Tesla has faced in this area aren’t limited to the approval process alone. Musk’s previous promises about fully autonomous driving features have been met with skepticism by many investors and critics.

In 2016, Musk famously claimed that every Tesla would be equipped with the necessary hardware for autonomous driving and that a demonstration of full autonomy from Los Angeles to New York would happen by the end of the year. However, these promises never materialized, leaving investors with a less favorable view of Musk. This has had a negative impact on the company’s stock.

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