Tesla Autopilot and other mainstream assisted driving systems far from reliable, Chinese study finds

  • A state-owned car research facility tested vehicles from Tesla, BMW, NIO and others
  • Some models were found to underperform in auto-parking and obstacle avoidance

Tesla CEO Elon Musk walks next to a screen showing an image of Tesla Model 3 car. A new study found that Tesla Autopilot and other driver assisted systems underperform. Photo: Reuters

Automated driving is still far from a reality in China, according to a new study of assisted driving systems of mainstream electric vehicles sold in the country, pouring cold water on a domestic investment frenzy in the technology.

A recent test conducted by Tianjin-based China Automotive Technology and Research Centre (CATRC), a state-owned car research facility, found that the average assisted-driving performance score of six popular EV models was 67.2 out of 100. Researchers concluded that “there is a long way to go” before these vehicles can reliably steer on their own.

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