On September 5, Tesla revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that its highly anticipated Full-Self Driving (FSD) system is scheduled to go on sale in Europe and China between January and March 2025, pending regulatory approval. If authorized, Tesla plans to expand the rollout.
The announcement indicates that Tesla is actively preparing to meet the stringent regulatory requirements in these regions to ensure FSD’s smooth approval. Tesla CEO Elon Musk further added that the system could be introduced in right-hand drive markets by late Q1 or early Q2.
FSD is a paid add-on software for Tesla's electric vehicles (EVs) that provides driver assistance features, such as lane-keeping. The current version of FSD is classified as "Level 2" on the five-level autonomous driving scale, meaning that the system requires driver supervision during operation. Tesla’s long-term goal is to elevate the system to "Level 4," which would enable it to function without driver intervention under certain conditions.
Musk has hinted multiple times this year that Tesla is fast-tracking the global licensing process for FSD. His visit to China in late May was widely interpreted as a goodwill gesture aimed at facilitating the introduction of FSD in the country.
During that visit, Musk held in-depth discussions with Jin Zhuanglong, China's Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce, and Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. They exchanged views on various topics, including the development of new energy vehicles (NEVs), smart connected vehicles, China-U.S. economic cooperation, and the promotion of partnerships in the renewable energy sector.
As the growth rate of the global pure EV market slows, automakers around the world are shifting their focus toward boosting market demand through smart driving technologies. In China's leading market for vehicle intelligence, the widespread adoption and explosion of smart driving capabilities could arrive sooner than expected.