Tesla removed ‘self driving’ from China website following Beijing crash

Tesla got rid of a Chinese term for “self-driving” from its China website after a person in Beijing who crashed in auto-pilot mode grumbled that the automaker overplayed the function’s ability and deceived purchasers.

The Tesla driver crashed this month while on a Beijing commuter highway after the car failed to prevent a car parked on the left side however partly in the street, harming both cars however causing no injuries.

It was the first Tesla crash in China, although it follows a deadly accident in Florida earlier this year that put pressure on automobile executives and regulators to tighten up regulations for automated driving.

A check of Tesla’s Chinese website on Sunday revealed that the word “autopilot” had likewise been removed. But that term was consequently restored on Monday.

“At Tesla we are constantly making improvements, including to translations,” a Tesla spokesperson stated on Sunday in an emailed statement to Reuters when asked about the elimination of the terms “autopilot” and “self-driving”.