China Automobile Industry, Technology (NEV, Driverless, etc): News & Images

[JSCh]

Self-driving RoboTaxi navigates through traffic in Guangzhou
Nov 21, 2019
New China TV

First-person view: Watch how a self-driving RoboTaxi navigates through challenging traffic condition in Guangzhou, China. #Taxi #Robot

 

[JSCh]

China's BYD lands large electric bus order in Netherlands
Source: Xinhua| 2019-12-07 05:23:43|Editor: xuxin

Isbrand Ho (R), managing director of BYD Europe, shakes hands with Frank Janssen, CEO of Keolis Nederland, during a signing ceremony in Deventer, the Netherlands, Dec. 6, 2019. China's leading new energy vehicle manufacturer BYD cut a deal on Friday to provide 259 electric buses for the Netherlands, the largest single order the Chinese company has ever landed in Europe. The deal was made with Keolis Nederland BV, the Dutch subsidiary of global public transport provider Keolis. (Xinhua)

THE HAGUE, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- China's leading new energy vehicle manufacturer BYD cut a deal on Friday to provide 259 electric buses for the Netherlands, the largest single order the Chinese company has ever landed in Europe.

The deal was made with Keolis Nederland BV, the Dutch subsidiary of global public transport provider Keolis.

"This is a momentous occasion for BYD and also represents a huge commitment to electric mobility since it becomes the largest European fleet ever switched to electric at one time," said Isbrand Ho, managing director of BYD Europe, adding that his company has worked tirelessly with Keolis to provide a complete transport solution.

Under the deal, 259 pure-electric, emissions-free buses will be delivered from next summer and enter service from the end of 2020, according to BYD.

Frank Janssen, CEO of Keolis Nederland, voiced his confidence in BYD's products, saying "We've chosen BYD due to our excellent experience with their e-buses... Furthermore we trust BYD's expertise as a manufacturer in developing and maintaining battery-packages."

"It is another milestone for Keolis Nederland and the Keolis Group in developing and deploying electro-mobility solutions around the world and it reaffirms our commitment to supporting public transport authorities in the transition to sustainability," he added.

BYD won its first European order in 2012 to supply six eBuses to the Dutch national park island of Schiermonnikoog. So far, it has made deliveries and taken orders in nearly 60 cities and more than 10 countries, according to the company.

 

[JSCh]

Beijing starts road tests for autonomous-driving cars with passengers
Source:Global Times Published: 2019/12/16 17:43:40

A worker tests a driverless bus in Xiong'an, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 10, 2019. "Unmanned" technologies have brought great convenience to the city life in Xiong'an. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Beijing became the third first-tier city in China to allow public road tests of autonomous-driving vehicles carrying passengers after Guangzhou, and Shanghai, a move that industry insiders said could narrow China's gap with the US in the new technology.

The authorities imposed strict safety standards on companies intending to run autonomous-driving trials. Companies must provide each trial vehicle with 5 million yuan ($716,866) of liability insurance coverage, or make an equivalent compensation guarantee, according to Beijing's transportation authorities on Friday. The companies also need to make sure that vehicles can be switched from autopilot to manual mode at any time.

Beijing started opening test roads for autonomous driving in 2018. The new rule marks the first time that the capital is allowing on-road tests of autonomous-driving vehicles carrying passengers.

So far, 123 kilometers of roads have been opened for the tests, and a test area in Yizhuang, Beijing opened in June for closed area tests, media reports said. Two other closed test areas in Beijing's Haidian and Daxing districts are under construction.

The standardization of the autonomous-driving industry is essential before a launch of the business nationwide and it is a key step to narrow the gap with leading players such as the US, Zhang Zhiyong, founder of the Beijing-based car data service provider iwenfeng.cn, told the Global Times on Monday.

"There are still many uncertainties when it comes to allowing autonomous-driving vehicles onto public roads," Zhang said. "Currently China's standards on vehicle driving autonomy are unclear, and more specific regulations on safety and liability need to be rolled out."

According to Zhang, the US Department of Transportation has adopted six levels of automation, ranging from zero to full autonomy, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers.

In the US, there were more than 1,400 autonomous vehicles on the road as of June, according to a report by techcrunch.com, and more than 80 companies are running tests in 36 US states.

However, Chinese cities' efforts in autonomous driving are going strong, according to Zhang. Prior to Beijing, several cities ran tests of such vehicles.

Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, introduced its regulations for autonomous-driving tests in April 2018.

 

[Stranagor]

Niu Unveils World's First Self-Driving Electric Trike
XU WEI7

DATE : JAN 09 2020/SOURCE : YICAI

Niu Unveils World's First Self-Driving Electric Trike

(Yicai Global) Jan. 9 -- Chinese electric bike maker Niu Technologies unveiled the world's first self-driving electric tricycle at the CES in Las Vegas.

The Jiangsu province-based firm launched TQi and an electric motorbike RQi at the event yesterday, The Paper reported the same day, without disclosing prices. Both feature fifth-generation networking and the TQi has level-two autonomy and is equipped with supplemental restraint system airbags, anti-lock braking, traction control and other driving assistance systems. It has a 200 kilometer range, peaks at 80 kilometers per hour and can connect with smart charging piles.

Level-two autonomy is considered partial automation and includes vehicles that can manage their speed and assist with lane keeping and changing, according to SAE International standards. The RQi also features driver assistance, anti-lock brakes, traction control and a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour.

The TQi will go on sale in the second half of this year, founder Hu Yilin said at the event, which kicked off on Jan. 7 and ends tomorrow.

Niu more than doubled net profit to CNY129 million (USD18.6 million) in the first three quarters of this year as revenue leaped 46.7 percent to CNY1.5 billion (USD216 million), according to data from Wind.

https://yicaiglobal.com/news/niu-unveils-world-first-self-driving-electric-trike

 

[GS Zhou]

CIASI (China Insurance Automotive Safety Index) recently did the crash test of the VW Passat. The German car model records the WORST record in all the CIASI crash tests so far.

Let's see how the German car performs in the test.

A-pillar is almost broken.

No side air curtain. Front air bag fails to offer any protection to the driver.

See the neck of the test dummy. Hard to imagine if it is a real crash, how would the driver look like.

This make VW Passat the WORST performer in the CIASI history. Let's see how CIASI comments the German vehicle. A quick translation:

64kmh 25% overlap crash test
Overall rating: P (poor)
Restrain system and the dummy movement: P (poor)
Head protection from the front: the front air bag offers very limited protection; excessive horizontal displacement of the driving wheel; head of the test dummy hits the hard structure twice
Head protection from the side: no side curtain avaialble
Thorax protection from the front: excessive horizontal displacement of the driving wheel

As a comparison, lets see how the SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Company) Roewe RX5 Max performs in the same CIASI test.

A-pillar almost NO deformation

Side curtain and front air bag activated, offers the desired protection to the driver

Also the summary from CIASI. A quick translation:

64kmh 25% overlap crash test
Overall rating: G (good)
Restrain system and the dummy movement: G (good)
Head protection from the front: stable protection from the front air bag
Head protection from the side: side curtain offers a good protection range after it activated.

Want to see the test videos? Check the following two links:

VW Passat CIASI crash test:
https://www.bilibili.com/video/av80495855

SAIC Roewe RX5 MAX crash test
https://www.bilibili.com/video/av82546919

 

[Menthol]

May be VW just send the wrong car.

I think we should see another tests for the same car model.

 

[KhanBaba2]

May be VW just send the wrong car.

I think we should see another tests for the same car model.

No such thing as wrong car. What if you had purchased the wrong car.

 

[GS Zhou]

May be VW just send the wrong car.

I think we should see another tests for the same car model.

It's not VW sends the car, but the test organization buys it from the VW dealership. What if the customer buys the wrong car??

 

[Paul2]

I would like to see how German made Passat performs in the test.

They will be a laughing stock if it will do better than their Chinese market car.

 

[Viet]

I would like to see how German made Passat performs in the test.

They will be a laughing stock if it will do better than their Chinese market car.

They do perform well in crash tests otherwise the car won’t be allowed on public roads. I had a Passat, never complained. Ok some minor stuffs but not serious.
It appears the car is not assembled well in China. Poor quality. VW should take note.

@Bismarck

 

[KungFuLee]

I think VW Passat was build by SAIC plant in Nanjing. I don't think there are any new Passat build by German anymore. I think they are either build in America or in China. Actually, I don't think VW sell Passat in Germany anymore, if they still do, it would be the same car they tested in 2014 (because new vehicle with new design feature would need to be test by EU NCAP)

The Last EU NCAP entry for Passat is for 2014 VW Passat Sedan, resulting in a 5 stars EUNCAP rating, you can download the full report here

https://cdn.euroncap.com/media/4893/euroncap_volkswagen_passat_2014_5stars.pdf

 

[GS Zhou]

VW needs to take the full responsibility of the poor test performance. Its Chinese partner SAIC should not be blamed (see the SAIC Roewe RX5 Max example in #1). Made in China should not be blamed neither.

Toyota Avalon, made by Toyota's plant in Tianjin, China
The crash test rating is G (Good). A-pillar almost no deformed

Nissan Teana, made by Nissan's plant in Guangzhou. G-rating again.

Volvo XC60, made by Volvo/Geely's plant in Chengdu. G-rating again.

Links to the mentioned Toyota/Nissan/Volvo videos
Volvo XC60: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av81383385
Nissan Teana: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av81732919
Toyota Avalon: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av80781685

If you can read Chinese, you will find the name of Passat (帕萨特) is mentioned continually by the bullet comments. The young generation is really annoyed by VW. VW needs to feel shameful!!

 

[KungFuLee]

VW needs to take the full responsibility of the poor test performance. Its Chinese partner SAIC should not be blamed (see the SAIC Roewe RX5 Max example in #1). Made in China should not be blamed neither.

Toyota Avalon, made by Toyota's plant in Tianjin, China
The crash test rating is G (Good). A-pillar almost no deformed
View attachment 598981
Nissan Teana, made by Nissan's plant in Guangzhou. G-rating again.
View attachment 598982

Volvo XC60, made by Volvo/Geely's plant in Chengdu. G-rating again.
View attachment 598985

Links to the mentioned Toyota/Nissan/Volvo videos
Volvo XC60: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av81383385
Nissan Teana: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av81732919
Toyota Avalon: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av80781685

If you can read Chinese, you will find the name of Passat (帕萨特) is mentioned continually by the bullet comments. The young generation is really annoyed by VW. VW needs to feel shameful!!

I don't understand how SAIC was not to blame? They made the car...….Just because VW is a German brand that alone does not make the car stronger, that's depends on the material used and the way the car was put together. And those are SAIC responsibility, just because they make other car better does not absolve their responsibility on making a bad car....Because it was completely depends on how the car was made.

If anything VW was to blame is quality control, they let that piece of junk rolled out of SAIC assembly line.

 

[Kai Liu]

I don't understand how SAIC was not to blame? They made the car...….Just because VW is a German brand that alone does not make the car stronger, that's depends on the material used and the way the car was put together. And those are SAIC responsibility, just because they make other car better does not absolve their responsibility on making a bad car....Because it was completely depends on how the car was made.

If anything VW was to blame is quality control, they let that piece of junk rolled out of SAIC assembly line.

You mean if they are strong than VW take the credit, if they are brittle, then SAIC is to be blamed??? WTF logic is this???
BTW, SAIC also make GM cars and their own brand cars which source the material locally and they perfrom millions better in this test.

 

[GS Zhou]

I don't understand how SAIC was not to blame? They made the car...….Just because VW is a German brand that alone does not make the car stronger, that's depends on the material used and the way the car was put together. And those are SAIC responsibility, just because they make other car better does not absolve their responsibility on making a bad car....Because it was completely depends on how the car was made.

If anything VW was to blame is quality control, they let that piece of junk rolled out of SAIC assembly line.

VW Passat comes from SAIC-Volkswagen, a 50/50 JV between SAIC and Volkswagen. SAIC-VW produces VW vehicles only (VW & Skoda). SAIC has its own dedicated plant for making its own-brands vehicles (Roewe and MG). I.e. Passat has NOTHING to do with SAIC's own production line.

The safety of the vehicle is mainly decided by two factors: design, and sourcing. Which side in SAIC-VW takes the control of this two most important functions? See the answer from SAIC-VW's webiste.

SAIC team takes care of marketing and HR, i.e the less critical functions; but Volkswagen team take care of the most important roles: commercial (i.e. sourcing), Engineering/R&D.

Which side to take the responsibility? I think the answer is clear.