Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has arrived in Beijing following an invitation from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. His visit has sparked speculation that Musk may unveil Tesla’s autonomous driving technology in China’s thriving electric vehicle (EV) market. During his stay in China, Musk is expected to meet with senior Chinese officials at the State Council to discuss the potential introduction of Tesla’s autonomous driving technology. Tesla has gained significant popularity in China since establishing a $7 billion factory in Shanghai in 2020, making it one of the most popular EV brands in the country.
Musk’s visit to China coincides with the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, providing an opportune moment for discussions with Chinese officials about the rollout of Tesla’s Full-Self Driving (FSD) software. Reuters has reported that these talks may revolve around obtaining approval to transfer data collected in China abroad.
Musk’s recent trip to China comes in the wake of his announced layoffs, which could affect over 14,000 employees. This decision came two weeks after the electric carmaker reported its first year-over-year decline in sales in three years. Musk expressed his reluctance but emphasized the necessity of these measures to streamline the organization and maintain competitiveness.
Musk’s China visit had initially included plans to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India, but this visit has been postponed until later this year. Musk cited heavy Tesla obligations as the reason for the delay but expressed his anticipation for visiting India later in the year.
