(Yicai) Oct. 18 -- Tesla's Full Self-Driving system has not been approved by Chinese regulators to enter the market yet, according to a new report.

The evaluation work on the US electric vehicle giant's semi-autonomous navigation system is ongoing, China Daily reported today, citing several informed sources. "The rollout progress is not expected to mirror the speed as the company itself planned," they noted.  

Tesla plans to launch the FSD system in China and Europe in the first quarter of next year, pending regulatory approvals, according to a roadmap released by the Texas-based firm's artificial intelligence team on X on Sept. 5.

The Chinese government will support Tesla in piloting certain FSD features in some cities if existing laws and regulations are followed, the source pointed out.

The main issue for the rapid deployment of FSD in China is how to collect basic geographic information and other data, ensuring data security and compliance, experts pointed out. Tesla is cooperating with qualified Chinese companies to conduct relevant surveying.

Tesla's Chief Executive Elon Musk has applied to authorities to obtain some non-sensitive video data for system training, a person close to the carmaker told China Daily. He promised that a dedicated government team could strictly review the data, the person added.

The law in China stipulates that foreign-invested companies must entrust qualified Chinese entities to collect, store, transmit, and process geospatial information data, including coordinates and images of intelligent connected vehicles.

On Oct. 16, the Ministry of State Security announced that a foreign firm was found to have illegally carried out geographic surveys and mapping activities on Chinese territory under the guise of smart driving research in collaboration with a licensed domestic mapping company and transferred the data abroad. The firms were not identified.

Tesla and Israeli autonomous driving company Mobileye Global later announced that they strictly abide by all Chinese laws and regulations.

Editor: Martin Kadiev