BYD is set to equip all of its electric vehicles (EV) with advanced self-driving tech, the company noted earlier this week.
The Financial Times spotted the announcement at a livestreamed event held at BYD's headquarters in Shenzhen, China, earlier this week. "[We are] starting an era where autonomous driving is for everyone," said Founder and CEO, Wang Chuanfu. "It will become a must-have in the next two to three years, just as a seat belt or airbag."
The company plans to install its 'God's Eye' self-driving system on all of its models. That includes its US$9,700 Seagull hatchback that repeatedly topped the monthly best-seller list in China – ahead of Tesla's beloved EVs – last year.
The automaker previously offered driving assistance features on its more premium models that cost upwards of $30,000. Fortune notes that God's Eye will be available on BYD cars at no extra charge. It will include features like navigating freeway traffic, automatic parking, and autonomous overtaking and braking.
The announcement follows the collapse of a planned merger between Nissan and Honda over the last few days, following a month of talks. Both Japanese marques, which once ruled the automotive roost across major automotive markets around the world, have been taking a beating amid the recent growth of the EV market.
The company hasn't said when God's Eye will arrive in its cars, and whether it can be activated on its existing EVs. The Straits Times notes BYD has secured China’s first Level 3 assisted driving test license.
Meanwhile, Tesla is waiting in the wings for approval to begin trialing its own 'full self-driving' features in the country, so BYD will need to pull this off quickly if it wants to maintain its lead with this tech.
Source: Financial Times
