Tesla has abruptly canceled its free trial of the “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) package in China, following a significant policy shift that imposes stricter regulations on software updates for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
The automaker had launched the FSD package for vehicles equipped with its latest “Hardware 4.0” (HW4) just last month, hoping to incentivize owners to adopt the feature through an over-the-air software update.
However, the rollout has been halted as the company adapts to new regulatory requirements.
Tesla is actively working on obtaining approval for both Hardware 3.0 (HW3) and HW4
Grace Tao, Tesla’s Vice-President for the Chinese market, announced the decision on Weibo, thanking car owners for their support and feedback. She referenced the new “Notice on Further Strengthening the Management of Access, Recall and Online Software Upgrade of Intelligent Connected Vehicle Products,” outlining the need for manufacturers to submit detailed technical information before implementing software updates.
This development highlights the increasing scrutiny over automotive software updates and their relation to safety standards.
The updated regulations also reinforce the processes surrounding recalls linked to software updates, making it necessary for manufacturers to report any accidents involving ADAS features.
Despite the challenges posed by these new rules, Tao indicated that Tesla is actively working on obtaining approval for both Hardware 3.0 (HW3) and HW4 for its smart driving software, with plans to push updates to customers as soon as possible.
Elon Musk has recently acknowledged that HW3 vehicles cannot fulfill the promised capabilities of unsupervised self-driving and will require significant hardware upgrades to reach that level.
As Tesla navigates these regulatory hurdles, it emphasizes its commitment to safety and compliance in a market that is increasingly demanding transparency and accountability from automakers.