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Chinese EV maker Xpeng expands self-driving capability to streets of Beijing as it bids for autonomous car leadership
- Some of Xpeng’s P7, G9 and P5 models will be able to drive autonomously in Beijing starting on Thursday, after receiving a software upgrade
- The company aims to have its semi-autonomous technology approved in ‘dozens of cities’ across mainland China by year’s end
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Daniel Renin Shanghai
Some cars made by Chinese electric-vehicle (EV) builder Xpeng will be able to drive themselves through Beijing’s streets starting on Thursday as mainland carmakers battle for pole position in the future of mobility.
The Guangzhou-based company announced the Beijing launch of its X NGP (Navigation Guided Pilot) software, which is similar to Tesla’s “Full Self Driving” (FSD) system, reinforcing its bid to be a global leader in autonomous cars.
Some of Xpeng’s P7, G9 and P5 models will be able to drive autonomously in the capital after receiving an over-the-air software upgrade, said the company, the first Chinese carmaker to gain approval for its semi-autonomous driving technology from Beijing transport authorities.
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X NGP now works in the mainland’s four top-tier cities, after launching in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in March. The company plans this year to expand its coverage to “dozens of cities” across mainland China, the world’s largest automotive and EV market, it said in a statement.
X NGP can achieve level-4 (L4) autonomous driving on highways, according to Xpeng.
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Global standards body SAE International defines L4 as autonomous driving that does not require human intervention in most circumstances, but the driver still has the option to manually take control of the car. L5, or full driving automation, means a vehicle does not need human intervention under any circumstances.
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