Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology is finally going to take off in China. Following the public road tests in the United States and other regions, Tesla founder Elon Musk's last trip to China was to promote the landing of this black technology in China.
But it didn't happen overnight. In China, a highly competitive market, Musk will face severe tests from many aspects. While local automakers are also EV powerhouses, regulators remain cautious about new technologies and consumer acceptance of fully autonomous driving remains to be seen.
Once the technology promotion fails, it will not only severely damage Tesla's market position in China, but also have a deep impact on its global layout. Whether Musk can harness this wild horse with hidden traps is the key.
The local opponent is on fire
Although Musk's FSD technology is internationally leading, in the Chinese market, he will face a crazy counterattack from local car companies.
Huawei, BYD, Xpeng, Ideal and other local new forces have launched autonomous driving assistance functions and spared no effort to attack Tesla. They not only have increasing technical strength, but also have the advantages of localized operation and deep understanding of national conditions.
Among them, BYD has initially realized the automatic cruise lane change function and launched the self-driving taxi project; Xpeng's autonomous driving system "NGP" is also in continuous iterative optimization; Even the upstart Ideal Smart Horse has launched an automatic driving assistance function.
Although these manufacturers have a significant gap with Tesla, their rapid catch-up speed is surprising. What's even more terrifying is that once Tesla promotes FSD in China, they may launch a strangulation at any time in terms of costs, regulations, etc.
For example, although Tesla's FSD is ahead, the price will obviously be on the high side; Local brands, which are also the new force of electric vehicles, can use the scale effect to reduce the cost of autonomous driving functions, so as to win the first opportunity in the market competition.
In addition, local companies are well versed in China's national conditions, and it is easier for them to grasp the twists and turns of laws and regulations. Once administrations put obstacles in the way of FSD functioning, they may be able to find a solution and gain the upper hand in the alliance.
The "most unfriendly adversary" comes from the regulatory authorities
The biggest headache for Musk is not the counterattack of local car companies, but the strict supervision of the authorities, which is also the biggest obstacle to the promotion of FSD in China.
In fact, the top priority of Musk's last trip to China was to win the support of regulators. Autonomous driving technology can only be commercialized on a large scale in China if it is included in the policy framework of the competent authorities.
However, China is currently open but cautious about fully autonomous driving. At present, only testing and demonstration are allowed in most parts of the country, and the real commercial operation is still in the "observation period".
After all, FSD is a new thing, and there are natural uncertainties. Once a major safety accident occurs, it will bring heavy damage to road traffic and social order, so the competent department will strictly control it.
This is a particular challenge that no other market has. Even Musk has bluntly said that Chinese regulators "are the most unfriendly opponents facing the FSD."
However, the consistent style of opening up the policy to keep up with the pace of the times may bring a turnaround for Musk. In 2021, the Ministry of Transport and other nine departments jointly issued an autonomous driving roadmap, which reserved a broad space for the promotion of related technologies in China.
As long as Tesla can fully demonstrate the safety and application value of FSD, fully incorporate it into the policy framework, and then win support, it is expected to be realized.
Consumer psychological expectations are a big test
In order to smoothly move towards commercial use, in addition to winning local rivals and regulators, Tesla also needs to convince the most difficult "hard bone" - Chinese consumers.
Although FSD is amazingly intelligent, it is still in its infancy, and there is still a lot of uncertainty about its safety and stability. Once there is a major failure and an accident, it will deal a heavy blow to the consumer's car experience.
More importantly, the concept of autonomous driving itself is fundamentally different from traditional car habits, which requires consumers to completely change their existing perceptions and gradually build confidence in black technology.
Arguably, the psychological expectations of consumers are crucial. Once there is panic, not only will the promotion of FSD itself fall into an embarrassment, but it is more likely to affect the intelligent transformation process of the entire automotive industry.
Therefore, Tesla needs to make great efforts to promote and instill a positive perception of autonomous driving in consumers. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that there are no mistakes in the actual experience of the product, otherwise once the market trust is lost, it will be able to fight back.
However, the receptivity of the Chinese market is not without its merits. Emerging technologies such as electric vehicles and intelligent networking have been widely recognized and popular in China. In other words, as long as Tesla takes care of its concerns, it is only natural for consumers to reap the benefits of FSD.
Focus on China and deploy globally
Musk's trip to China is actually a microcosm of Tesla's global strategy.
In the past few years, the development of Chinese enterprises in the fields of new energy and intelligent driving has attracted the attention of the world. Tesla is also aware of the huge influence of the Chinese market, so it has set it as a key part of the future map.
The fate of FSD in China is not only related to Tesla's performance in this huge market, but also the top priority of its global layout. If it succeeds in China, it will not only strengthen Tesla's leading position, but also provide an important reference for future implementation in other markets.
Conversely, if it gets bogged down in China, the ambitious company will also fall into decline.
It can be said that China is both a major opportunity and a huge challenge for Musk. Once it is advancing in this land, it is equivalent to opening up a broad battlefield for the entire era of electric intelligent vehicles; On the other hand, if the pursuit here fails and retreats, the entire global map will also be in jeopardy.
People of insight pointed out that in order for Musk to succeed in the field of FSD in China, he must take a multi-pronged approach in three aspects: technological innovation, localized operation, and user education:
In terms of technology, although FSD is ahead, there are still many cruxes that need to be solved urgently. For example, the cost is too high and the user burden is heavy; Another example is that the functionality has not been perfected, and there are hidden dangers of instability. Musk must continue to invest in research and development until the FSD is truly safe, reliable and popular after being improved.
In terms of localized operation, Tesla should fully learn from the experience of domestic brands and integrate into the ecology of the Chinese market to the greatest extent. For example, make adjustments in product positioning and marketing strategies; For example, increase investment in hardware facilities such as service systems and physical channels. Only by seamlessly connecting with the Chinese market can we gain an advantage in the increasingly fierce competition.
What's more, Tesla must make a big deal to dispel Volkswagen's misgivings about FSD. It is necessary to sincerely explain the operating principle and safety guarantee of this black technology through online and offline publicity, and effectively enhance the public's awareness and confidence in fully autonomous driving. After all, no matter how advanced the technology is, if even the consumer can't get past it, all efforts will be in vain.
It's a tug-of-war of ambition. But as Musk said in an internal letter: "Stay tuned, the story ahead is still exciting." Looking to the future, this FSD competition will determine the general direction of Tesla's development, and even affect the direction of the entire intelligent networked vehicle era.
In China, a land destined to become the main battlefield of intelligent driving, can Musk survive the tests and capture this fortified city? Leave it to the test in time!