Tesla is bracing for a potential delay in obtaining Chinese approval for its autonomous driving technology, as Elon Musk’s electric-vehicle company risks getting dragged into the escalating US-China trade war.
The company has been told there is no definitive timetable for regulators to approve a licence for it to begin widespread training of its “full self-driving” (FSD) technology, despite an earlier indication that it would get the green light in the second quarter of 2025, people with knowledge of the matter told the Financial Times.
The licence would be an important step towards Tesla being able to offer semi-autonomous functionality in its vehicles in China, a development that would boost subscription revenues and help shore up its shrinking sales in the world’s largest automotive market.