Tesla's Full Self-Driving could be 'difference maker' in China

Tesla (TSLA) has announced plans to release its Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology in China and Europe in the first quarter of 2025. Autoblog editor-in-chief Greg Migliore joins Catalysts to discuss the move.

Migliore is "skeptical" of Tesla's autonomous driving capabilities: "I think there's sort of normal time in the car business. And then there's Tesla time. They might hit it, but I think it's entirely likely that it could slip into the second or even the third quarter, at least."

Despite the exact timing of its release, he believes the autonomous driving technology could be a "difference maker for Tesla in China" after struggling with weak sales in the region.

For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Catalysts.

This post was written by Melanie Riehl

Video Transcript

Tesla planning on releasing their fully self driving technology in China and Europe in the first quarter of 2025.

That's according to a post on the Tesla A I account on X.

The roll out which is still pending regulatory approval is seen as a move to further stay ahead of Tesla's China based ev rivals, Tesla shares are trading higher this week after reporting 63,000 sales in China in August.

That's a 30 7% increase from the month of July for more on this.

We welcome in Greg Migliori auto blog editor in chief Greg.

It's great to speak with you.

So talk to me about the degree to which this full self driving release in China is, is set to be a meaningful positive catalyst for the company.

I guess I'm curious to what extent I should be believing in that Q 1 2025 outlook.

What do you think?

Hey, good morning guys.

Thanks for having me.

Uh I would be a little skeptical about that.

I think there's, there's sort of normal time in the car business and then there's, there's Tesla time.

Uh they might hit it, but I think it's entirely likely that it could, you know, slip into the second or even third quarter, at least.

Um, you know, FSD could be a difference maker for Tesla in China and they also mentioned the European rule as well.

Uh It is something unique, it's something different.

I've tried multiple versions of it.

It's gotten better over the years, but there's also a learning curve.

Uh not just for customers but for regulators.

So when things don't quite work as they often don't with FSD, um you know, the government, so the regulatory bodies need to figure out how to govern that and you know, enforce things.

So we'll see Greg, even as I saw this tweet, it comes with the context that Tesla has put some very lofty timelines out into consumers' minds and into the markets before.

But the track record for actually meeting some of those targets hasn't necessarily held up or come to fruition at the time at which they said that they would, what should we expect here?

For real?

For real?

Yeah, I, I do think it probably won't exactly hit the line as uh you know, Elon Musk has uh pitched it to do.

I think there's a uh a good chance that uh as they try to maybe cater FSD to each market, I think, you know, there could be some delays there as well.

Uh I guess it would be actually a real brain structure to figure out the exact last time Tesla truly did exactly what they said they were going to do on, you know, their suggested timeline, things like the cyber truck.

Come to mind the, the semi, the Roadster.

Where, where's the Roadster?

Right.

It's in space.

So it's in space, Greg.

There's at least one up there floating around.

We know that.

That's true.

That's true.

And also the robot optimist I think is on time as well.

So sometimes Tesla does, uh uh I think try to, you know, arrive if you will when, you know, when Elon Musk says they will, I think in the case of FSD though, it really is sort of a passion project for uh Elon Musk.

It, it's like an articulation of his strategy for the company.

It brings together A I with the automotive space.

So, you know, we'll say.