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A Tesla showroom in Shanghai, photographed on April 29, 2024
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CNN
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Tesla has reached an agreement with Baidu to upgrade its mapping software, bringing it one step closer to introducing fully self-driving (FSD) technology in China.
The Chinese tech giant announced on Saturday that it will provide lane-level navigation services for Tesla vehicles. Baidu (BIDU) said this level of navigation can enhance safety by providing drivers with more detailed information, such as lane recommendations before the next turn.
When Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk made a surprise visit to China in late April, experts said one of the biggest hurdles to winning government approval to deploy Tesla’s FSD software was the company’s successful signing of a mapping and navigation contract with Baidu.
“With Baidu’s support for lane-level maps, Tesla’s navigation can now accurately show lane changes on the road users are currently driving on, upgrading it from road-level guidance to lane-level guidance,” Baidu said in a statement.
The Chinese rival to Google has been providing Tesla with its mapping services since 2020. But before Saturday’s announcement, its service was limited to “road-level” information, which was not as accurate as lane-level navigation.
A day earlier, Tesla unveiled a new software upgrade for urban users in China, the world’s biggest auto market, saying in a statement on WeChat that such detailed road information was being provided “for the first time.”
CNN has reached out to Tesla for comment. Baidu declined to comment further on Monday.
Virtually all Teslas come with a driver assistance system called Autopilot, but the more powerful FSD features come at a premium price. Autopilot is available in China, but the full FSD features are not.
Partnering with Baidu would remove a hurdle, as the Chinese company has significant mapping qualifications that can be applied to driver assistance features.
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According to Chinese regulations, all self-driving systems must be qualified for mapping before they can operate on public roads, and foreign car companies must partner with licensed Chinese companies to obtain surveying and mapping qualifications.
The partnership with Baidu will allow Tesla to operate a fully self-driving system on China’s public roads, allowing vehicles to collect data about their surroundings, including road layouts, traffic signs and buildings.
The Chinese data could also be used to train the algorithms needed for Tesla’s fully self-driving cars, potentially accelerating the global development of Tesla’s self-driving technology.
Car owners have long complained on social media about Tesla’s previous navigation service, which was also provided by Baidu, saying they often had to rely on other maps available on their smartphones while driving.
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“This time, you can truly remove the (in-car) phone holder,” Tesla said in a statement on Friday, suggesting that drivers no longer need a separate map for navigation.
The news spread on Chinese social media on Monday.
“After upgrading the system, I no longer need to use my phone for navigation,” one Weibo user said. “I can finally use Tesla’s (own) navigation system.”
The introduction of the FSD system could help boost revenue for Tesla, which has struggled in China since the company sharply slashed prices across its car line in April to boost sales there in the face of slowing demand and growing competition.
