File photo/NBD

Tesla is set to upgrade its in-car intelligence in China, with its voice assistant service officially completing regulatory filing on April 20, according to local authorities in Shanghai.

Sources familiar with the matter say Tesla’s vehicle system will integrate ByteDance’s Doubao AI model, marking a notable step in localizing its AI capabilities for the Chinese market.

Earlier disclosures on Tesla China’s website reveal that the Model Y L will be equipped with both Doubao and the DeepSeek model, with access provided via Volcano Engine.

Under this setup, Doubao will power core voice command functions, including navigation, media control, and climate settings, while also enabling onboard manual queries. And DeepSeek will support broader AI-driven interactions, enhancing conversational capabilities.