Tesla Full Self-Driving Finally Launches in China After Years of Delays

Tesla's Full Self-Driving software reached Chinese customers in February 2025, ending years of regulatory delays and market speculation. The deployment brought FSD capabilities to the world's largest EV market through over-the-air updates for customers who paid 64,000 yuan ($8,831).

Chinese FSD Deployment Details

Tesla deployed Full Self-Driving features in China through software updates for customers who had purchased the capability package. According to the deployment details, the Chinese FSD implementation offered capabilities similar to FSD features available in the US market. The rollout represented a significant milestone for Tesla's autonomous driving ambitions in the crucial Chinese market.

European Implications and Global Performance Data

While Chinese owners gained access to FSD, European Tesla customers continued waiting for similar regulatory approvals. The Chinese launch provided fresh performance data relevant to global FSD development. Tesla's FSD dataset had grown to 15,000 miles by February 2025, with reported peak achievements reaching up to 723 miles without human intervention. However, practical real-world performance averaged about 624 miles between disengagements, offering a more realistic picture of current FSD capabilities.

Market Significance and Technical Context

The Chinese FSD launch marked Tesla's expansion of autonomous driving features into its second-largest market after the United States. At 64,000 yuan ($8,831), the Chinese FSD pricing positioned the technology as a premium add-on feature. The deployment utilized Tesla's established over-the-air update infrastructure, allowing existing vehicle owners to receive the new capabilities without hardware modifications.

The performance metrics—while showing improvement with the expanded 15,000-mile dataset—highlighted the gap between Tesla's reported best-case scenarios of 723 miles per intervention and the more typical 624-mile average. This data provided European customers with realistic expectations for eventual FSD deployment in their regions.