TECH

Tesla Taps Home-developed AI Models for China-Market Six-Seater EV Voice Assistant

Published: Aug. 23, 2025 3:04 a.m. GMT+8

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A Tesla Model Y electric vehicle on display at the company’s store in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 11, 2025.

Tesla Inc. is partnering with ByteDance Ltd. to bring Chinese-developed artificial intelligence (AI) into its vehicles, a move seen as both a product upgrade and a regulatory necessity in the world’s largest auto market.

ByteDance confirmed Friday that the newly launched six-seat version of Tesla’s Model Y in China will integrate two large language models — Doubao, developed in-house, and DeepSeek, supported through Volcano Engine, ByteDance’s cloud computing unit.

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Tesla partners with ByteDance to integrate Chinese AI models Doubao and DeepSeek into the six-seat Model Y in China, enhancing voice and infotainment functions.
The move addresses both regulatory requirements and competition with Chinese EVs, which offer advanced in-car digital services.
Tesla previously launched xAI’s Grok-powered voice assistant in the US, while future upgrades may include AI-powered self-driving with significantly increased parameters.

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Who’s Who

Tesla Inc.: Tesla Inc. is partnering with ByteDance Ltd. to integrate Chinese-developed AI models, Doubao and DeepSeek, into its Model Y vehicles in China. This move aims to enhance Tesla's in-car infotainment and voice systems, addressing a previous weakness compared to Chinese rivals. It also helps Tesla comply with China's data regulations.

ByteDance Ltd.: ByteDance Ltd. is partnering with Tesla Inc. to integrate Chinese-developed AI into Tesla's vehicles, starting with the six-seat Model Y in China. Their large language models, Doubao and DeepSeek, will power voice assistants for functional commands and conversational AI. This move is seen as a product upgrade and a way for Tesla to comply with Chinese data regulations and compete effectively in the domestic market.

Li Auto: Li Auto is a Chinese electric vehicle maker. The company plans to release a new VLA-based driver-assist system in September, aiming to make cars "drive more like humans."

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