Advertisement
Xpeng launches city-level autonomous driving system, piling pressure on Tesla in race for robotic car supremacy
- Some of Xpeng’s P5 sedans fitted with lidar sensors can now access city navigation guided pilot (NGP) software, the Guangzhou-based carmaker said
- It is the first Chinese automotive firm to launch an advanced driver assistance system for city-level driving
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
3
Chinese smart electric vehicle (EV) builder Xpeng has launched an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) that is similar to Tesla’s full self-driving software, allowing its cars to navigate their way automatically along city streets.
Some of Xpeng’s P5 sedans that are fitted with lidar sensors can now access city navigation guided pilot (NGP) software through over-the-air updates and drive without human intervention in urban areas, the Guangzhou-based carmaker said on Saturday.
It is the first Chinese automotive firm to launch an ADAS for city-level driving.
Advertisement
“With the roll-out of city NGP, Xpeng is spearheading a strategic roadmap to expand ADAS usage scenarios from covering highways and parking lots to much more complex city driving environment, offering our customers enhanced safety and optimised driving experience,” He Xiaopeng, co-founder and chief executive of Xpeng, said in a statement.
In March last year, a fleet of Xpeng’s P7 mid-sized cars completed a weeklong 3,675-kilometre autonomous driving test from Guangzhou to Beijing. The frequency of human intervention was just 0.7 times per 100km.
01:44
China’s first driverless ride-hailing service hits the streets of Chongqing
China’s first driverless ride-hailing service hits the streets of Chongqing
“Chinese regulators must have been extremely cautious about giving carmakers the green light to launch an ADAS system for city-level driving,” said Gao Shen, an independent analyst in Shanghai. “Xpeng’s city NGP marks a milestone in China’s development of driverless cars, although there is still a long way to go before fully autonomous cars can be built.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x