Tesla says it will launch Full Self Driving product in Europe and China early next year

Tesla said it will launch its "Full Self Driving" driver assistance product in Europe and China early next year.

In a post on the X social media platform, Elon Musk's electric vehicle company on Thursday said that the service — which comes as a paid add-on feature for Tesla customers — is slated for launch in the two regions in the first quarter of 2025, "pending regulatory approval."

Tesla is yet to receive regulatory permission to launch its FSD product in Europe and China, but Musk in July said that he expects to get this clearance by the end of 2024.

So-called Full Self Driving, or FSD, has been a key pillar of Musk's strategy to make Tesla a more AI-centric company and push toward self-driving technology.

Despite the label on its product, FSD is not actually capable of making its vehicles fully autonomous. Drivers are still required to sit behind the wheel and keep their eyes on the roads, as well as take over when needed.

FSD is an upgrade to Tesla's Autopilot driver assistant, which is already available in Europe and China. Tesla currently offers a premium option called Enhanced Autopilot in China.

Since 2016, Musk has promised investors that Tesla will deliver technology capable of making its existing cars drive entirely by themselves. The company has so far failed to deliver on this commitment while competitors including Waymo in the U.S. and Pony.ai in China are already operating commercial robotaxi businesses.