Tesla has been the benchmark for years when it comes to self-driving cars. Until now, they were a technology that made a difference in the market. But Tesla’s reign is being threatened after the Chinese manufacturer BYD has laid all its cards on the table, which has made even the last Tesla worker tremble: offering autonomous driving at no additional cost to buyers and in all its models! Below we tell you everything that is happening in the automotive sector.
Technology and advances
Nowadays, all new cars have to have certain mandatory safety systems, such as automatic emergency braking and lane change warning (to warn you if you accidentally leave your lane). But beyond this, manufacturers are betting heavily on making driving increasingly automated. One of the most striking advances is effortless parking. Now cars can:
- Park in parallel by themselves, without the driver touching the steering wheel.
- Fit into super small spaces, adjusting to the millimetre.
- Remember the path they have taken, to get out of tight spaces without crashing.
- Move through parking lots as if they were a Roomba, finding a free space without you doing anything.
But here comes the interesting part: Tesla and BYD are in a race to see who has the best semi-automated driving system. They believe that this type of technology will be a million-dollar business in the future, and right now, BYD is aiming for the crown of this revolution.
What is BYD’s “God’s Eye” system?
We are talking about an automated driving platform based on artificial intelligence and cutting-edge sensors that will provide real-time assistance to the driver. The novelty is not there, because they have been able to do everything we have mentioned before for some time now, but before they were only offered in high-end models. Now, the dashboard has changed and BYD wants to include this technology in all its electric cars, even in the BYD Seagull, which is the brand’s most economical vehicle.
Why is it a threat to Tesla?
Tesla seems to have lost track of its vehicle automation, and now they have tried to take a step back from their statements because they see it as very difficult to meet their own expectations. Even so, they continue trying to improve their robotaxi system. Tesla even tried to map all the streets in China to improve autonomous driving systems because they are aware that the Chinese market is cheaper and can be a decisive sector to sell more.
But, they have not been the only ones who have seen a market niche there, because during the presentation of the Xiaomi SU7, the Chinese company made a show of force by presenting its so-called “God’s eye” and confirming that its vehicles will have it for free (not like Tesla, which charged for a service that it has not even been able to implement in its vehicles yet…)
So, obviously this has been a missile in the offices of Tesla that intended to make their vehicles profitable through subscriptions.
And now, what?
China is betting big on electric cars – and cheap ones! Because one of these costs less than 10,000 euros and now includes this very advanced technology of automatic driving (which other brands sell at a gold price…) And it’s not a coincidence, we know that nothing is, the Chinese government is promoting electric cars through financial aid, basically because they are producing more cars than they are selling and they need these sales not to fall. It’s a strategic move to support their automotive industry and keep consumption going while reducing emissions.
What will happen next in China? And with Tesla? We’ll have to see how this battle between these two driving giants continues!