Tesla officially rolled out its supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) system in China on May 21, 2026, expanding beyond the previously offered basic Autopilot and Enhanced Autopilot features. [1, 2, 3] The supervised FSD system allows functions such as automatic following, lane changing, overtaking, traffic light recognition and response, unprotected left turns, and smart parking on highways, urban roads, and parking lots. [1, 3, 4] Despite these capabilities, the system still requires full driver supervision and is not fully autonomous driving. [1, 5, 2, 4]

The rollout in China is part of a broader global expansion that includes nine other markets: the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the Netherlands, and Lithuania, as Tesla’s official account stated on May 21. [6, 1, 5]

Before this launch, Tesla's China offerings were limited primarily to basic and enhanced Autopilot features, with full FSD functions available only on select vehicles. [1, 2, 3] The supervised FSD is not yet open to all Tesla models in China, with some only supporting an enhanced version priced at about 32,000 RMB compared to 64,000 RMB for full FSD. [1, 2, 6]

Tesla has increased hiring for autonomous driving roles across nine major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. Approximately 90 openings focus on test engineers and specialists responsible for real-vehicle road testing and monitoring regulatory developments. [1, 5, 3, 7]

The launch follows delays and regulatory hurdles after Elon Musk initially signaled potential China FSD entry as early as April 2024 and expected approval by year-end 2024. [1, 2, 3] Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja said in April 2026, "Currently working closely with Chinese regulators and aiming for full FSD approval in China as early as Q3 this year." [5]

Tesla’s FSD subscription model has grown globally, reaching 1.28 million subscribers by Q1 2026 with 51% year-over-year growth. [8] This move in China comes amid declining Tesla sales early in 2026 and competition from local EV makers like Xiaomi and XPeng, which already offer their own autonomous driving technologies. [1, 2, 8]

Tesla aims to secure full regulatory approval for FSD in China by the third quarter of 2026. [1, 5, 3, 4]