Electric vehicle giant Tesla finally gained government approval to pilot its advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on select streets in Shanghai, China, Bloomberg reports, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Tesla approved for ADAS testing in Shanghai
According to the report, Shanghai officials have granted Tesla the necessary permit to launch a pilot program for its ADAS on several streets in the city.
This significant milestone marks the next crucial step in the Musk-led company’s efforts to launch the Full Self-Driving (FSD) suite in the Chinese market.
In addition, Hangzhou may also reportedly grant Tesla approval to test its autonomous driving system. The unnamed source claims that Hangzhou officials are considering approving Tesla’s plans to test its ADAS there.
Tesla’s authorized staff will execute the initial testing of its advanced driving technology on public roads.
Tesla to initially test 10 EVs for FSD
Tesla is actively trying to expand the reach of its autonomous driving initiatives across the world beyond its home market, particularly in China.
This new development follows news last week about Tesla’s plans to test the Full Self-Driving suite on 10 of its electric vehicles in China.
Nanhui New City district, near Gigafactory Shanghai, has reportedly authorized Tesla to test its FSD tech on ten EVs on public streets. Shanghai Free Trade Zone Administrative Committee Data Department Director Lu Sen formally confirmed the decision.
Now, it seems more Tesla EVs and more Chinese cities could participate in the early testing phases. It will play a crucial role in Tesla’s efforts to advance its autonomous driving efforts, enabling the company to gain millions of miles of data from the initial testing in China.
Recent efforts
Last month, Tesla successfully secured the Chinese government’s tentative approval to launch the FSD suite in the country.
Tesla reportedly cleared early regulatory barriers involving mapping and navigation functions.
The Musk-led electric vehicle giant teamed up with Chinese tech giant Baidu to address those abovementioned hurdles. The partnership also enabled Tesla to avoid any data-security risks that Chinese officials have raised against the American automaker in the past.
The upcoming pilot programs in China will substantially aid Tesla in making FSD’s operation more accurate and potent, adding more miles to Tesla’s neural network.
