Tesla finally launched FSD in China. Its rivals have been selling self-driving cars there for years.

TL;DRTesla confirmed FSD availability in China after years of delays. Chinese rivals already hold Level 3 certifications and run robotaxis.

Tesla announced on Thursday that its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system is now available in China, listing the country among 10 markets where the technology can be accessed. The announcement on X was short on details and marks the first time Tesla has confirmed FSD availability in the world’s largest EV market. It comes a week after Elon Musk joined a US business delegation for President Trump’s summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.

The timing raises questions the announcement does not answer. It is unclear whether mainstream Chinese consumers can already activate FSD or whether the post signals regulatory approval that has not yet been publicly confirmed. Tesla’s China website lists “intelligent assisted driving” for the Model 3 at a one-time fee of 64,000 yuan (approximately $9,400), with a Mandarin disclaimer noting that features would be updated “shortly.” China’s embassy did not respond to requests for comment on whether regulatory approval had been granted.

Despite its name, Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) still requires active driver supervision and is classified as a Level 2 system, meaning the driver must remain in control at all times. A fully autonomous, unsupervised version is being trialled only on a fleet of Tesla vehicles operating as part of the company’s robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. The gap between the marketing name and the technology’s actual capability has been a persistent source of regulatory and consumer confusion.