Key Points
- Elon Musk expects to get regulatory approval for Full Self-Driving in Europe and China as early as next month.
- The approval would be a major boost to Tesla’s software revenue amid slowing car sales.
- Tesla has also started giving robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, without safety monitors.
- The company recently lost its title as the world’s largest EV maker to China’s BYD.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system could get a major boost next month, with CEO Elon Musk saying he expects to win regulatory approval in both Europe and China. The news, which Musk shared at the World Economic Forum in Davos, is a big deal for the company as it looks to increase its software revenue to offset slowing car sales.
“We hope to get Supervised Full Self-Driving approval in Europe, hopefully next month, and then maybe a similar timing for China,” Musk said.
Getting the green light in Europe has been a long and difficult process. The region has much stricter vehicle safety rules than the U.S., which has slowed down the rollout of FSD. However, the Dutch vehicle authority has said it expects to decide in February. If they approve it, other EU countries could quickly follow suit.
In another piece of good news for the company’s autonomous ambitions, Musk also said that Tesla has started giving robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, without any safety monitors in the car. This is a significant step forward, though the service is still very limited.
These positive developments are much-needed for Tesla. The company just reported its second straight year of declining vehicle deliveries and lost its title as the world’s largest EV maker to the Chinese company BYD. FSD and the promise of a future robotaxi network are key to the company’s sky-high valuation, and investors are eager to see some real progress.
Musk also gave an update on his humanoid robot project, Optimus. He now expects to start selling the robots to the public by the end of next year, a slight delay from his previous timeline.
