Tesla soars 12% on tentative approval for driving system in China
Elon Musk’s quick visit to China paid immediate dividends, with Tesla Inc. receiving in-principle approval from government officials to deploy its driver-assistance system in the world’s biggest auto market.
The US carmaker was granted the approval under certain conditions, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified because details of all the criteria aren’t clear. Tesla did manage to clear two of the most important hurdles: reaching a mapping and navigation deal with Chinese tech giant Baidu Inc., and meeting requirements for how it handles data-security and privacy issues.
Tesla shares soared as much as 12% shortly after the start of US trading, while Baidu jumped 2.4% in Hong Kong. Tesla didn’t respond to requests for comment on the status of its attempt to secure regulatory approval.
The developments came after Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk made an unannounced trip to China on Sunday, seeking approval for driver-assistance software that could help arrest the carmaker’s revenue decline. While the company’s suite of features require constant supervision and don’t make Teslas autonomous, the company charges $8,000 for them in the US, or $99 a month for a subscription.
Musk met Sunday with Premier Li Qiang, who as the Chinese Communist Party secretary for Shanghai helped the company set up what is now its top plant globally. His private jet left Beijing on Monday, according to FlightRadar24.
While Tesla initially enjoyed a red-carpet welcome in China, its
