After a rocky rollout of its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) system in China, Tesla is dropping “FSD” from the name of the system while it faces increased scrutiny from regulators.
Last month, Tesla started rolling out a limited version of its FSD system in China, finally allowing driver assist features to be used on urban roads in the country after a long wait.
Tesla is facing competition from Chinese domestic manufacturers. BYD recently pushed a software update giving smart driving features to all of its vehicles – for free. This is surely part of what pushed Tesla to roll out its FSD system in China in the first place.
But immediately after that rollout, Tesla drivers started racking up fines for violating the law. Many roads in China are watched by CCTV cameras, and fines are automatically handed out to drivers to break the law.
It’s clear that the system still needs more knowledge about Chinese roads in general, because it kept mistaking bike lanes for right turn lanes, etc. One driver racked up 7 tickets within the span of a single drive after driving through bike lanes and crossing over solid lines. If a driver gets enough points on their license, they could even have their license suspended.
Between these troubles and a new set of rules for connected vehicles in China, Tesla rolled back its FSD rollout just this week, only a week after having announced a month-long free trial (as it has done in the US before).
It looks like it’s now making some naming changes, too – and these changes are timed in a way that suggests they might have something to do with that new scrutiny for connected vehicles.
The change in names appeared on Tesla’s website in the last day or so. You can see it below, in both Chinese and translated to English:
Previously, the system was called “FSD Intelligent Assisted Driving” in Chinese. The new name drops “FSD” from the title, and simply calls it “Intelligent Assisted Driving.” It has also previously been called “Full Self-Driving Capability” in China.
Tesla has received plenty of criticism over the years for the name of its system, which, despite being called “Full Self-Driving,” does not actually allow cars to fully drive themselves. Tesla changed the name to “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” in the US last year, to show that a driver still needs to supervise the vehicle while the system is active.
Despite the name change, the system is still fetching the same price – 64,000 yuan, or about $8,800 USD. Each level of
Tesla also removed the world “autopilot” from the Chinese name for its lower version of driver assist software. This word is meant to evoke airplane systems which can do basic tasks but still require an attentive pilot to take over in case anything goes wrong, but has also been subject to criticism over the years because of the colloquial understanding that suggests drivers can stop paying attention while it’s turned on.
Tesla says that it still intends to offer its driver-assist system in China once it gets the necessary approvals. Perhaps today’s retreat in naming conventions is part of those requirements.
Charge your electric vehicle at home using rooftop solar panels. Find a reliable and competitively priced solar installer near you on EnergySage, for free. They have pre-vetted installers competing for your business, ensuring high-quality solutions and 20-30% savings. It’s free, with no sales calls until you choose an installer. Compare personalized solar quotes online and receive guidance from unbiased Energy Advisers. Get started here. – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
