Tesla has agreed to a deal with Chinese search giant Baidu for its mapping and navigation functions, according to several reports on Monday, as the carmaker’s CEO Elon Musk met with senior government officials in China in a purported push to gain approval for its driver-assistance technology.
Tesla's deal with Baidu brings it one step closer to launching its driver-assist feature in China.
As part of the deal, Tesla will gain access to Baidu’s mapping and navigation tech to power its driver assist feature it calls Full-Self Driving, Bloomberg and Reuters reported citing unnamed sources.
Tesla will be able to tap into Baidu’s mapping license, a requirement for carmakers to launch self-driving or driver-assist features for use on China’s public roads, the Reuters report added.
Foreign companies need to partner with local firms to access the license, which will allow Tesla’s cars to gather essential data about traffic, road signs and routes.
Citing the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, Bloomberg reported Tesla’s cars have also cleared an important data security and privacy requirement in the country, which tests a vehicle’s collection and handling of “sensitive personal information.”
The two developments come amid Musk’s visit to China, where he met several top officials to reportedly gain approval for launching Tesla’s Full Self Driving feature in the country, as the company faces stiff competition from local EV makers.
On Sunday, Musk said he was “honored to meet” Chinese Premier Li Qiang—the country’s senior-most leader after President Xi Jinping.