Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, made a surprise visit to Beijing, China on Sunday to meet with Chinese authorities regarding the implementation of the autopilot system in the country. Despite customer requests, the autopilot system has not yet been introduced in China and is being developed using data collected from cars operating in the country since 2021.
Musk’s visit is aimed at discussing the use of this data to develop algorithms for the autopilot system. The Shanghai factory is one of Tesla’s largest production facilities and China is its second-largest market globally, with 1.7 million cars sold in just over ten years.
However, Tesla’s autopilot system has faced recent scrutiny due to significant safety flaws that have been highlighted by a research report by the US Federal Transportation Safety Agency. This report stated that the system has been involved in a large number of crashes that could have been prevented. The authorities are now scrambling to address these critical flaws and ensure the safety of Tesla’s autopilot system.
During his visit to Beijing, Musk will engage in discussions with Chinese authorities to address these concerns and work towards implementing the autopilot system in China. His visit underscores Tesla’s commitment to addressing safety issues and improving its technology for the Chinese market.