After reaching a deal with Baidu to improve its mapping software, Tesla is getting closer to introducing full self-driving (FSD) technology in China. The Chinese tech behemoth announced on Saturday that it was offering Tesla owners lane-level navigation services. According to Baidu (BIDU), this degree of navigation can improve safety by giving drivers precise information, such as lane advice before approaching turns.
During Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s (TSLA) unexpected trip to China at the end of April, analysts noted that Musk’s primary challenge in getting the government to approve the company’s FSD software launch was concluding a mapping and navigation agreement with Baidu. Baidu claimed in a statement that Tesla’s navigation system can now precisely render lane changes on the road the user is currently on, going beyond road-level guidance to lane-level guidance with the help of Baidu’s lane-level map.
Since 2020, Tesla has benefited from mapping capabilities provided by China’s equivalent of Google. However, its offerings had only included “road-level” information—information that is less accurate than lane-level navigation—prior to Saturday’s revelation. A day prior, Tesla announced on WeChat that it was releasing this kind of comprehensive road data “for the first time” when it unveiled its latest software update for users in China, the largest auto market in the world.
Autopilot, the more sophisticated driver-assistance technology, is included on almost every Tesla, but it costs extra. China has autopilot, but not the entire FSD capability set. Joining together with Baidu would eliminate a barrier because the Chinese company possesses important mapping credentials that can be used for driver assistance features.
