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Tesla Collaborates with Baidu to Improve Assisted Driving in China

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Tesla is working with Baidu, a Chinese tech giant, to enhance the performance of its advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) in China, according to two sources familiar with the matter. This collaboration follows criticism from customers over a recent update to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) Version 13 software, which failed to meet expectations.

Baidu has sent a team of engineers from its mapping division to Tesla’s Beijing office to improve the integration of Baidu’s navigation maps with Tesla’s FSD V13. The goal is to refine the system’s understanding of Chinese roads, including lane markings and traffic light signals, making it more accurate and up-to-date. The exact number of engineers or the financial terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.

This partnership comes as Tesla faces challenges with data and regulatory restrictions imposed by both Beijing and Washington, hindering its ability to bring its full Autopilot and FSD systems to its second-largest market. Unlike in the U.S., where Tesla trains its AI with data from its own fleet, it cannot do so in China due to local data laws. This has led to increasing pressure from competitors like BYD and Xpeng, which offer similar technology without charging extra fees.

The updated software, released in February, aimed to add urban navigation features but faced backlash for not delivering the promised full FSD functionality in China. Tesla’s FSD V13 had not been sufficiently trained to navigate Chinese streets, causing drivers to encounter frequent traffic violations such as incorrect lane changes and running red lights.

The partnership with Baidu, a dominant map provider in China, aims to resolve these issues by improving the mapping capabilities and providing more accurate navigation data. Tesla has been relying on Baidu for mapping services since 2020.

This collaboration comes as Tesla’s market share in China declined for the first time last year, dropping from 11.7% to 10.4% in 2024, according to recent data. Meanwhile, local competitors have been pushing sales more aggressively. In the U.S. and Europe, Tesla has faced a slowdown in demand, putting further pressure on its performance in China.

Despite the regulatory challenges and competition, Tesla remains focused on rolling out full FSD technology in China this year. However, it remains unclear how soon the collaboration with Baidu will lead to a resolution of the system’s issues.

Baidu Set to Launch Next-Gen AI Model “Ernie 5” in 2025

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Baidu, China’s leading tech company, is poised to unveil the next iteration of its AI model, Ernie 5, in the second half of 2025, according to a source familiar with the matter. The new model will introduce multimodal capabilities, enabling it to handle and convert various formats, including text, video, images, and audio.

This launch comes at a time of fierce competition in China’s AI sector, especially from the startup DeepSeek, which has gained attention for offering a reasoning model that competes with OpenAI’s GPT at a lower cost. Despite being an early adopter in AI with its Ernie model, Baidu has faced challenges in achieving widespread adoption, even though it claims that Ernie 4 rivals the capabilities of GPT-4.

Baidu’s AI models have lagged behind domestic competitors, including ByteDance’s Doubao chatbot and DeepSeek, in terms of user uptake. Baidu CEO Robin Li acknowledged at a recent Dubai conference that the rise of DeepSeek highlights the unpredictable nature of innovation. He also noted that investment in data centers and cloud infrastructure remains essential, even though DeepSeek has shown that AI models can be made more cost-efficient.

Apple Partners with Alibaba to Introduce AI Features for iPhones in China

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Apple has partnered with Alibaba to launch artificial intelligence features for iPhone users in China, a move aimed at addressing months of uncertainty over Apple’s AI strategy in the region, according to The Information. The collaboration could help Apple regain its competitive edge in the Chinese market, where it has been losing ground to local rivals such as Huawei, which has already incorporated AI tools into its smartphones since last year.

Apple’s stock rose by 1.5% following the news, while Alibaba’s U.S.-listed shares saw a 2.6% gain. Apple had initially chosen Baidu as its AI partner, but the Chinese company’s progress in developing models for Apple Intelligence did not meet Apple’s standards. As a result, Apple considered various other AI models from Tencent, ByteDance, Alibaba, and Deepseek but ultimately chose Alibaba for its ability to leverage vast amounts of user data related to shopping and payment habits, which could enhance model training and enable more personalized services.

The Chinese AI features co-developed by Apple and Alibaba are now under review by China’s cyberspace regulator for approval. This development is crucial as Apple’s iPhone sales declined during the holiday quarter, typically its best-performing period, largely due to the absence of AI features in its latest devices. Apple remains optimistic, forecasting strong sales growth for the current quarter.