The FSD software-hardware complex can work in one form or another on all Tesla electric cars produced since 2016, but its capabilities in cars sold in China are so far limited. Recently, Shanghai municipal authorities allowed Tesla to test a full-fledged version of FSD on ten electric car replicas that will run on the city’s streets.

As Reuters reported with reference to The Shanghai Observer, this step was taken after Elon Musk’s visit to China in April this year. In May, preparations began with Chinese authorities to obtain permission to use FSD to launch the service in the country by the end of this year. Another result of Musk’s visit to China was the start of construction of a new facility for the production of stationary electricity storage systems Tesla Megapack in Shanghai, where the company already has the world’s largest electric car assembly facility.

Tesla’s Chinese competitors have made significant progress in the development of autopilot for ground transportation; In most cases, the technologies involved are based on accurate digital maps of the terrain. In major cities of China, electric cars of some local brands can already reliably replace the driver, and then the geography of use in the country will expand. T.

Tesla clearly does not want to lose its position in the Chinese market, so it is trying to catch up with local automakers in adapting its autopilot to local operating conditions. Testing FSD in Shanghai will help it reach its goal faster.