China’s Xpeng aims to make semi-autonomous driving technology available across mainland by end-2024

[beijingwalker]

China’s Xpeng aims to make semi-autonomous driving technology available across mainland by end-2024​

• The company’s X NGP software, currently available in five mainland Chinese cities, will be rolled out in another 45 by the end of December
• Some of Xpeng’s P7, G9, P5 and G6 models fitted with X NGP are able to navigate autonomously after receiving an over-the-air software upgrade

Published: 2:00pm, 25 Oct, 2023

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) start-up Xpeng plans to expand the use of its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) to 50 mainland cities by the year-end and nationwide by the end of 2024, as it seeks to maintain an edge over rivals in smart-driving capabilities.

The X NGP (Navigation Guided Pilot) software will be rolled out in 20 mainland Chinese cities next month and another 25 in December, allowing some of the company’s models to self navigate, He Xiaopeng, co-founder and CEO of Guangzhou-based Xpeng, said at the company’s annual Tech Day event on Tuesday evening.

The X NGP is currently available in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Foshan.

“We are highly confident of our [self-driving] technology,” He said. “The expansion pace will accelerate. Xpeng will deliver on its promise to make semi-autonomous cars available in more urban areas.”

Some of Xpeng’s P7, G9, P5 and G6 models fitted with X NGP are able to drive autonomously after receiving an over-the-air software upgrade. On city roads, X NGP is capable of recognising traffic lights, conducting lane changes, overtaking and making turns.

The company said the cars’ self-driving capability can be achieved without high-precision mapping, which provides location accuracy down to 20 centimetres. By the end of 2024, X NGP will be available across mainland China, and it will also be introduced to Europe, it added.

According to Chinese laws and regulations, even in cars with self-driving systems, drivers are required to keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times.

Xpeng, backed by e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, which also owns the Post, was the first Chinese carmaker to launch an ADAS that has the potential to take on Tesla’s Full Self Driving system.
The US carmaker’s technology has not been approved for use in China yet.

Other major electric-car makers including Nio and Li Auto are also developing preliminary autonomous driving technology. Most of their cars provide assistance to the driver but require more active supervision.

“The innovative advancements powering our industry-leading ADAS and new EV models help actualise the technological evolution shaping today’s EV industry,” Xpeng’s He said on Tuesday. “Our comprehensive, integrated full-stack, in-house R&D capabilities and robust mobility ecosystem continue to make Xpeng a stand-out choice for consumers looking for EVs with cutting-edge technology at [accessible] price points.”

At present, Tesla is the leader in China’s premium EV segment, buoyed by strong sales of its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles assembled at the Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai.

Xpeng, Nio and Li Auto are developing smart EVs featuring autonomous driving technology, digital cockpits and high-performance batteries to take on the US carmaker in the world’s largest EV market.

In July, Volkswagen said it would invest US$700 million in Xpeng for a 4.99 per cent stake in the Chinese start-up. The two companies plan to roll out two VW-badged midsize EVs in 2026 in mainland China.
In April, UBS analyst Paul Gong forecast that EV deliveries in China would jump by 55 per cent to 8.8 million units in 2023.

Xpeng aims to make smart driving technology available across China by end-2024

Chinese EV start-up Xpeng plans to expand the use of its semi-autonomous driving technology to 50 mainland cities by the end of the year and nationwide by the end of 2024.

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