Tesla’s managing director, Elon Musk, made a surprise visit to Beijing, China on Sunday to meet with Chinese authorities regarding the autopilot system for Tesla vehicles. According to Reuters, Musk’s discussions with officials in China focused on implementing the autopilot system in the country and using data collected in China to improve the algorithms for the system.
China is Tesla’s second-largest market globally, and despite customer demands, the autopilot system has not yet been implemented in the country. Musk’s visit also aimed to discuss the use of data collected in China to improve the algorithms for the autopilot system. Tesla has been gathering data from its vehicles in China since 2021, but has not received data from Chinese authorities.
Tesla has sold over 1.7 million cars in China in just over a decade, with the Shanghai factory being one of the company’s largest facilities. Musk had previously mentioned on X messaging service in April that the autopilot system could be introduced in China “possibly very soon.”
However, recently safety concerns have come under scrutiny regarding Tesla’s autopilot system. A report from the US Federal Transportation Safety Agency highlighted significant safety flaws in the system, stating that it has been involved in many preventable crashes. As authorities rush to address critical flaws in Tesla’s autopilot system, Musk’s visit to Beijing underscores the importance of addressing safety concerns and implementing the system responsibly.
