Tesla's rollout of its Full Self-Driving software in China is off to a rocky start, with drivers racking up unexpected fines due to system errors, Autoblog reported.
As Tesla attempts to expand its FSD autonomous technology into the world's largest car market, these early failures are raising concerns about its ability to adapt to China's unique traffic regulations.
What's happening?
Tesla's rollout of its FSD software in China is facing major challenges, with drivers receiving fines due to system errors. Reports and user-shared videos show the software misinterpreting traffic signals and lane markings, leading to costly violations. One driver reportedly received seven fines in a single day.
This all comes around the same time popular YouTuber Mark Rober dropped a video showcasing, in part, how Tesla's Autopilot feature, which relies on the same sophisticated visual camera system as the paid-addition FSD, failed some key safety tests — including crashing right through a Wile E. Coyote-style wall painted to look like road continuing into the horizon. Rober contrasted it with a car using a more expensive lidar laser detection system that passed this test.
China's strict automated traffic enforcement system has only increased the company's negative press around its self-driving features, frustrating Tesla owners who have had to pay fines in the process.
The software, trained on U.S. and European roads, is struggling to adapt to China's complex traffic conditions, raising doubts about whether Tesla's autonomous technology is ready for global deployment.
Why is Tesla's FSD rollout important?
For Tesla owners in China, these fines highlight concerns about the reliability of self-driving technology.
Tesla has previously faced criticism for other design changes, such as modifications to the Model 3's steering column, which raised safety concerns. If Tesla's FSD system cannot accurately follow regional traffic laws or detect fake walls or people behind thick fog, as Rober's video also showed, drivers risk legal and financial consequences — and even hitting people if trusting the system too much.
Tesla has traditionally carried a strong safety record, with the Model S once earning the NHTSA's highest safety score ever, and may well be able to resolve all of these issues or explain a flaw in Rober's methodology. (At least one other YouTuber reproduced the experiment using FSD with the same results, though he did later see his Cybertruck stop at his fake wall.)
It bears mentioning that, as Autoblog noted, "despite its branding, Tesla's FSD technology still requires active driver supervision and frequent human interventions," so the company is at least not yet claiming it should be trusted as much as a human driver, and it should also be noted that human drivers are not, of course, infallible either.
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Definitely 👍 Given the volume of reports of various issues and the complications of adapting to traffic laws and scenarios in different countries, though, there may not be an overnight solution to make these concerns go away quickly.
These issues could also slow the shift to electric vehicles. While FSD and Autopilot are not mandatory to be used even when a vehicle has them, people seeing posts about these struggles without adequate context could shake consumer confidence with a negative association of an EV drawing fines and thus fewer drivers may make the switch. That could keep slightly more gas-powered cars on the road, increasing pollution and delaying progress toward cleaner air.
Additionally, Tesla's difficulties in China provide an opportunity for local competitors like BYD, which is rapidly expanding its EV production and market share. If Tesla cannot resolve these issues quickly, it risks losing a key foothold in one of the world's most critical EV markets.
Recent reports have said Tesla has already lost market share in the country, with the company's total EV sales in China reportedly dropping 49% year over year in February — though part of this could be attributed to fantastic sales numbers in that prior year.
What's being done about Tesla's FSD rollout?
Tesla is reportedly working on software updates to address these FSD issues in China. However, refining AI-driven driving models for different regulatory environments is a complex process, meaning drivers may continue experiencing these problems for some time.
Some Tesla owners have opted to disable FSD features and rely on traditional driver-assist systems instead.
For those considering an EV, exploring different brands with reliable technology and strong customer support can help ensure a smoother transition.
While Tesla's FSD technology aims to revolutionize autonomous driving, these setbacks highlight the challenges of deploying self-driving systems in diverse markets.
As Tesla works to refine its software, potential buyers should carefully weigh the risks before relying on self-driving technology in unpredictable traffic conditions.
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