BEIJING (Reuters) – Tesla (NASDAQ:) on Friday released a software update for its car navigation system in China, introducing new features such as displaying lane markings on its maps that correspond to actual lanes on the road.
The company announced the update on its official WeChat account along with a host of new features added in the latest over-the-air update that it claimed would reduce users' reliance on smartphone apps while driving.
Tesla did not specify the provider of the lane-related map service, while the official Shanghai Securities News reported on Friday that Baidu (NASDAQ:) is the map provider.
Baidu first announced the launch of its V20 Baidu Maps in April, naming Tesla and Huawei among the map's customers. Baidu has been Tesla's navigation map provider since 2020.
Baidu Maps V20 introduces lane-level navigation, which the company says can provide human drivers with detailed road information and lane recommendations to improve safety and driving experience.
Chinese users in China have complained about Tesla's car navigation map on social media, saying it is not as detailed as maps available on smartphones. Tesla in China was not immediately available for comment.
Tesla, which only uses cameras as sensors for its autonomous driving technology, is currently in the process of introducing its 'Full Self-Driving' (FSD) software system in China, which recently moved forward as the company prepares to register this technologically advanced feature. with authorities, Reuters reported last month.
Unlike high-definition maps that collect more detailed and sensitive geographic information to serve as an additional sensor for autonomous vehicles, navigation maps have been widely used in China to provide traffic information to human drivers.
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