BYD launches Level 2+ ADAS: “God’s Eye” will now self-drive your car

The Chinese EV manufacturer, BYD has announced the installation of its newly-launched advanced self-driving system in the entire BYD electric car fleet including the Rmb70,000 ($9,600) Seagull budget hatchback, the Financial Times reported. 

The driving technology, called "God's Eye," was engineered internally by BYD for its electric rides to have features of upscale electric vehicles such as smartphone-based remote parking and autonomous overtaking on roads.

Marking the latest development, Wang Chuanfu, during a live-streamed event from BYD’s Shenzhen headquarters, said, “[We are] starting an era where autonomous driving is for everyone,” the FT report added. 

He further exclaimed that the Advanced driver-assistance systems are  “no longer an unattainable luxury, but an essential tool . . . like safety belts and airbags.”

BYD has established itself as the largest EV manufacturer in China, the largest automobile market in the world, by offering a huge selection of affordable-priced EVs.However, one of the company's major shortcomings has long been thought to be its slow development of self-driving capabilities.

BYD's Hong Kong-listed shares surged 21% over five sessions last week as investors awaited the company's update on its ambitions for self-driving technology.

According to the data by S&P Global Mobility data, light vehicles with so-called Level 2 partial automation capabilities made up only 8.5% of the Chinese market last year.

Compared to most other countries, Chinese consumers are more prepared to pay more for advanced in-car technologies. Only 39% of Chinese EV owners who participated in an EY consumer survey last year cited "expensive services," which mostly include in-car connection, as a "challenge," compared to 45% of European and 47% of US respondents who cited it as their top worry.

Tesla, owned by Elon Musk, is trying to get Beijing officials to approve its "full self-driving" software in the Chinese EV market.

To install Chinese start-up sensation DeepSeek's artificial intelligence into their car systems, BYD has joined a group of local peers including Geely, Great Wall Motor, and Stellantis partner Leapmotor.

Analysts predicted that DeepSeek, which disproved the belief that the US leads the world in AI last month, would enable Chinese automakers to provide more potent features including the ability to use more advanced in-car voice commands.