By Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan and Casey Hall
BEIJING, July 25 (Reuters)
One thing about Tesla? It will do anything to outperform, no matter the circumstances. It does not matter that it has been banned from Europe, the Cybertruck, that is, and all the other drama surrounding the car brand. It always makes sure that it leads, one way or another. The vehicles we see on the road today are evolving more quickly than in the past. Having the newest model used to imply having a luxury car with shiny paint and seats, but nowadays, it’s more about what’s inside the car—the hidden technology that makes driving safer, parking better, and taking a nap while the car moves.
Tesla passes the test among other “top”-rated car brands in the EV market
Billionaire Elon Musk’s Tesla (TSLA) outperformed Chinese rivals, including BYD, Xiaomi and Huawei, in a test of assisted driving technologies on China’s highways, according to results published by TikTok owner Bytedance’s auto unit Dcar. State television CCTV and Dcar jointly tested the level 2 advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) from more than 20 electric vehicle brands in China.
They also rated their performance in a series of scenarios with higher risks of accidents on highways and urban traffic. The test videos posted by Dcar went viral on Chinese social media. Tesla scored the best in the highway test among 36 models, with its Model 3 and Model X passing five out of six scenarios, while BYD’s Denza Z9GT and Huawei-backed Aito M9 failed in three scenarios.
Different responses as Musk speaks out and local brands remain silent
Xiaomi’s SU7 passed in one of six. In a Weibo post on Friday, HIMA, the Huawei-led auto alliance, said it declined to comment on the “so-called test.” BYD and Xiaomi didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on his X account on Friday,
“Due to laws against data export, Tesla achieved the top results in China despite having no local training data.”
Tesla has been caught in what Musk described as a “quandary,” as the U.S. doesn’t allow its AI software to be trained in China, while the automaker has been seeking approval from Chinese regulators to transfer data saved locally in Shanghai back to the United States for algorithm training. Domestic brands should face up to the gap with Tesla in autonomous driving.
As Tesla remains in the spotlight, safety concerns increase
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, in remarks after a Tesla Model Y delivered itself from an Austin, Texas, factory to its owner in the area. The test came amid growing safety concerns in China about the ADAS after a highway accident involving a Xiaomi SU7 killed three people in March. State media have blamed misleading promotions for resulting in drivers’ improper use of the technologies
Authorities have banned the use of terms such as “smart driving” and “autonomous driving” for marketing driving assistance features. Only 30 minutes away, Tesla said, “We will continue to learn,” which has led to industry trends. Tesla is making headlines and making sure it gets all the attention it loves to prove how great it is.
Tesla’s assisted driving suite is available in China for nearly $9,000, while the technology from its local rivals, including Xiaomi and BYD 002594.SZ is without extra cost, pressuring the U.S. automaker’s self-driving future. Tesla’s technology approach relies solely on cameras as sensors and artificial intelligence, while most Chinese peers, including BYD, use lidar (light detection and range sensors) in addition to ensure performance. This just shows us that Tesla still has it amid some of the training challenges it has faced. One step at a time, and one dollar at a time for the car brand.