Elon Musk in Beijing to Propel Tesla's Self-Driving Tech in China

Tesla CEO Elon Musk unexpectedly visited Beijing on Sunday to discuss launching Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology in China and navigate data transfer policies amidst heightened US-China trade collaborations.

Elon Musk Visits Beijing to Discuss Tesla's Full Self-Driving Software and Data Policies

Tesla CEO Elon Musk landed in Beijing on Sunday for an unannounced visit, Reuters reported. According to a person familiar with the subject, he is anticipated to meet with senior officials to discuss the implementation of Full Self-Driving software and permission to move data overseas.

According to Chinese official media, Musk met with Premier Li Qiang in Beijing. Li assured Musk that Tesla's progress in China might be viewed as a successful example of US-China economic and trade cooperation.

Musk announced his meeting with the premier on Sunday via a post on the social media platform X.

Musk said, "I am Honored to meet with Premier Li Qiang. We have known each other for many years, since early Shanghai days," along with a photo of the premier.

In 2018, Tesla agreed with Chinese authorities to establish its first facility outside the United States in Shanghai.

The US electric vehicle manufacturer introduced Full Self-Driving, or FSD, the most autonomous version of its Autopilot software, four years ago but has yet to make it available in China, its second-largest market globally, despite customer pressure.

In answer to a question on social media site X, Musk stated last month that Tesla may make FSD available to consumers in China "very soon".

Rival Chinese automakers like Xpeng have attempted to gain an advantage against Tesla by releasing identical software.

According to the individual, Musk is seeking permission to transfer data acquired in the country to train algorithms for its self-driving systems.

Since 2021, Tesla has maintained all data acquired by its Chinese fleet in Shanghai, as required by Chinese regulators, and has not moved any of it back to the US.

Elon Musk's Under-the-Radar Beijing Trip Focuses on Tesla's NEV Strategy Amidst Regulatory Challenges

Musk's visit to China, originally reported by Reuters, was not officially announced, and the source spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to communicate with the media. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

CCTV's report on Musk's meeting with Li did not specify whether the two discussed FSD or data.

Earlier in the day, a second story aired by state radio stated Li had attended the ongoing Beijing auto show and commented on how China's smart new energy vehicle (NEV) sector had achieved a market lead and that the country needed to work hard to maintain its advantage.

According to state media, Musk also met with Ren Hongbin, a government official who leads the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, which organizes the Beijing car show.

"It is good to see electric vehicles making progress in China. All cars will be electric in the future," Musk said in a video posted on social media by a user affiliated with state media.

Late Sunday, a leading Chinese auto organization published a list of 76 automobile types it claimed to have examined and certified to comply with China's data security regulations, including Tesla's Model Y and three other vehicles.

Musk visited just over a week after he canceled a scheduled trip to India to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing "very heavy Tesla obligations."

The business announced this month that it would lay off 10% of its global personnel as it deals with declining sales and an intensifying price battle for EVs headed by Chinese manufacturers.

U.S. auto safety regulators said on Friday they had launched an inquiry into whether Tesla's recall of more than 2 million vehicles in the United States, announced in December to install updated Autopilot measures, was appropriate in the wake of a string of crashes.

Photo: The New York Times Events/YouTube Screenshot