Tesla China Renames FSD to "Tesla Driving Assistance"

Tesla China has recently updated the naming system for its driver-assistance features on its official Chinese website, replacing previous terms such as “FSD” and “Full Self-Driving Capability” with the unified designation “Tesla Driver Assistance.” All references to “FSD” have been removed from the website. This change aligns with current Chinese regulatory requirements, which prohibit Level 2 advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) from using terms like “fully automatic” or “autonomous driving” that could mislead consumers. Tesla emphasizes that drivers must remain fully attentive and keep their hands on the wheel at all times while the system is active. The feature remains priced at RMB 64,000 and includes all capabilities from both the “Basic Autopilot” and “Enhanced Autopilot” packages. Once activated, it can perform most driving tasks with minimal human intervention, though continuous driver supervision is still required. Following this update, “FSD” and any derivative names will no longer be used; all products will uniformly adopt “Tesla Driver Assistance” as the official term. This is not the first time Tesla has adjusted its naming conventions in China. In March 2024, the company renamed its “Autopilot” package to “Driver Assistance Package” and changed “FSD Intelligent Driving” to “Intelligent Driving.” On localization efforts, Tesla established a data center in Shanghai in 2021 to ensure local data storage. In February 2026, its AI training center in Lingang, Shanghai, became operational, marking the first time Tesla conducted localized model training using Chinese road data. This has enabled a complete closed-loop process—from data collection and local storage to domestic model training, vehicle deployment, and continuous iteration. Although Tesla announced on May 21, 2025, that China would be included in the supervised rollout of FSD (now branded as “Tesla Driver Assistance”), the feature still awaits an official over-the-air (OTA) update for activation. During the Q1 2025 earnings call, Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer stated that the company is maintaining close communication with Chinese regulators and aims to secure full regulatory approval by the third quarter of 2026.