Tesla's Autopilot Update Falls Short in China

Tesla's autopilot update in China, aimed at enhancing city navigation, has been poorly received. Despite new features, they do not meet expectations set by Elon Musk, and Chinese competitors provide similar capabilities at lower prices. Regulatory difficulties and data issues contribute to the challenge.

Tesla's recent update to its autopilot software in China has left local car owners disheartened, as the enhancements do not fulfill the lofty expectations set by CEO Elon Musk. Despite new features like automatic lane-changing and traffic light detection, the update lags behind what U.S. users experience.

The electric car manufacturer admits that the constraints are due to limited data training on Chinese roads and regulatory hurdles imposed by both the U.S. and Chinese governments. The full rollout of Tesla's more advanced driving system, initially planned for end-2024, has been postponed, frustrating many Chinese customers.

Chinese social media is abuzz with disappointment, as local automakers like Huawei and BYD offer comparable, if not superior, driver-assist technologies at lower prices. Meanwhile, data laws pose an additional challenge for Tesla, which seeks to enhance its systems by utilizing data from Chinese roads.

(With inputs from agencies.)