Tesla Halts Driving-Assistance Software Trial in China, Pending Approval 

A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives using FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Encinitas, California, US, October 18, 2023. (Reuters)
A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives using FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Encinitas, California, US, October 18, 2023. (Reuters)
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Tesla Halts Driving-Assistance Software Trial in China, Pending Approval 

A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives using FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Encinitas, California, US, October 18, 2023. (Reuters)
A Tesla Model 3 vehicle drives using FSD (Full Self-Driving) in Encinitas, California, US, October 18, 2023. (Reuters)

Tesla said on Monday it would release its smart driving-assistance feature in China after completing regulatory approval, following complaints that a limited-time free trial of its Full Self-Driving service had been temporarily paused.

"All parties are actively advancing the relevant process and we will push it to you as soon as it is ready. We are also looking forward to it, please wait patiently," Tesla's customer support said on social media platform Weibo.

The message was posted as a comment under a feed of Tesla vice president Grace Tao's Weibo account.

The company said last Monday that it would launch the free trial of its FSD service in China between March 17 and April 16.

FSD is a suite of driving-assistance technologies developed with generative artificial intelligence to cope with more complicated traffic conditions.

Tesla is aiming for a full roll out of FSD this year, and is working with Chinese tech giant Baidu to improve the performance of the system, Reuters previously reported.

Tesla has offered such trials in the United States, where its FSD system does not require navigation maps to be accurate or up-to-date because local training of the AI helps the technology drive better.

But in China, Tesla has been unable to train the system with data from its 2 million EVs because of the country's data laws.

In late February, China's industry ministry issued new rules requiring autonomous driving-related over-the-air software upgrades to be subject to regulatory approval.



US Auto Sales Set to Modestly Rise in First Quarter as Tariffs Signal Bumpy Ride

New vehicles are seen at a parking lot in the Port of Richmond, at the bay of San Francisco, California June 8, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
New vehicles are seen at a parking lot in the Port of Richmond, at the bay of San Francisco, California June 8, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
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US Auto Sales Set to Modestly Rise in First Quarter as Tariffs Signal Bumpy Ride

New vehicles are seen at a parking lot in the Port of Richmond, at the bay of San Francisco, California June 8, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
New vehicles are seen at a parking lot in the Port of Richmond, at the bay of San Francisco, California June 8, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

US auto sales likely inched higher in the first three months of the year on steady demand, data from the carmakers will show on Tuesday, as the industry braces for the fallout of President Donald Trump's latest tariffs.

Market research firm Cox Automotive has estimated that US new-vehicle sales volume increased 0.6% to 3.79 million units in the first quarter from a year earlier.

"Automotive tariffs — now set to take effect on April 2 — might have pulled ahead some vehicle purchases in Q1," said Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at automotive data provider Edmunds.

General Motors pickup trucks and SUVs are expected to help it retain its top spot in the quarter, followed by Toyota Motor's North America unit and Ford, according to Cox, Reuters reported.

Electric-vehicle maker Tesla is also forecast to report a drop in first-quarter vehicle deliveries on Wednesday.

President Trump's move to levy tariffs on US auto imports is widely seen as weighing on consumer sentiment and forcing a rethink on purchases.

The tariffs could also reduce the number of lower-cost imported vehicles on the market, such as Ford's compact Maverick pickup truck, further straining affordability as the average new-vehicle price nears $50,000.

"The potential for higher inflation due to new tariffs at American borders will all potentially hold back new-vehicle sales in 2025," Cox said.

Caldwell said tariffs would likely create challenges for the industry in the second quarter and beyond and expects discounts to be "harder to come by".