Tesla has announced plans to introduce its “Full Self Driving” (FSD) driver assistance technology in Europe and China in early 2025, contingent upon receiving regulatory approval.
The announcement was made via a post on the X social media platform, where the company stated that the service, which is available as a paid feature for Tesla owners, is expected to launch in the first quarter of next year.
Following this update, Tesla’s stock surged by 6%, reflecting investor optimism regarding the international expansion of FSD. Although the company has yet to secure the necessary regulatory permissions in these regions, CEO Elon Musk expressed confidence in July that approval would be granted by the end of 2024.
FSD has been a central aspect of Musk’s vision to transition Tesla into a leader in artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technology. However, despite its name, the FSD system does not enable full autonomy as drivers are still required to maintain control and be prepared to intervene as needed.
FSD is an enhancement of Tesla’s existing Autopilot system, which is already operational in Europe and China, with a premium version known as Enhanced Autopilot only available in China.
Since 2016, Musk has assured investors that Tesla would soon deliver technology capable of fully autonomous driving. Nevertheless, the company has faced challenges in fulfilling this promise, while competitors like Waymo and Pony.ai have already launched commercial robotaxi services.
The upcoming rollout of FSD in Europe and China is seen as a significant step for Tesla, which could potentially transform urban transportation.
Analysts suggest that the introduction of FSD could stimulate competition in the autonomous driving sector, particularly in China, where local manufacturers may feel pressured to accelerate their own development efforts in response to Tesla’s advancements.
While Tesla continues to deal with regulatory and technical hurdles, the effectiveness and acceptance of FSD will be closely monitored by both consumers and industry competitors alike.
