• According to a report, Tesla is preparing to launch its fully self-driving system in China.
  • The automaker is said to have worked with Chinese internet search company Baidu to obtain a mapping license.
  • FSD is legal in America, but still not available in Europe.

Tesla’s driver assistance technology is under review by U.S. regulators, but its counterparts in China are rolling out the red carpet for the company’s top trim with the Full Self Driving option. That’s according to a new report that claims Tesla just struck a deal with China’s largest internet search company, giving the automaker access to the map data needed to provide FSD.

Tech company Baidu will provide Tesla with a lane-level navigation system, according to the story Reuterswhich explains that all advanced navigation-based assistance systems must acquire a map license to operate on public roads.

Related: Did Tesla’s Autopilot Recall Updates Go Far Enough? The Feds have doubts and are investigating

Any foreign automaker that wants to bring an FSD-like system to market will have to partner with a Chinese company to obtain the necessary license, and since Baidu – one of about twelve manufacturers currently in possession of the necessary documentation – has already submitted its card information to Tesla. It was the logical choice to offer its cars on the Chinese market since 2020.

Tesla does not have exclusive access to Baidu’s map data. Earlier this month, the company confirmed that it was working with several companies including Tesla, Reuters says. The report also states that Teslas operating in FSD mode would be legally able to collect data about the driving environment, such as road layouts and traffic signs, but it is not yet clear whether this data is Tesla or Baidu would belong.

Tesla's fully self-driving system is coming to China, but Europe is still off limits

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently visited China to meet with the country’s Prime Minister Li Quang and asked the government for permission to transfer data collected from his cars in China to Tesla facilities outside the country.

FSD is not offered in Europe but is available in the US, where Tesla’s autonomous systems have been involved in several accidents, some of which were fatal. Last week, the NHTSA announced that it would open an investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot recall in December to examine whether the additional safety measures the automaker reportedly added via an over-air update went far enough.