BYD’s Han electric car, pictured here at the 2021 Shanghai auto show, is one of the hottest new energy vehicles in China.
Evelyn Cheng | CNBC
SHENZHEN, China — Electric Vehicle Giant BYD is betting on new driver assistance technology to make car journeys easier and ahead of its EV competition.
BYD, supported by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, announced Monday a new technology system for stabilizing car journeys through rough terrain, sharp turns and even shallow water. The shock absorption technology becomes a feature of the company’s recently launched Yangwang premium brand.
“Traditionally, luxury cars have been defined by brand and history. For luxury new energy vehicles, it’s a matter of which technology and products,” BYD founder Wang Chuanfu said in Mandarin at a launch event Monday, according to a translation from CNBC.
He claimed that the technology represented a “breakthrough” that “leads and surpasses the foreign technological level”.
The update comes ahead of the Shanghai Auto Show, which kicks off next week, where many Chinese automakers will make product and model announcements.
Part of the tech system uses the same “lidar” sensors used in assisted driving, according to BYD. Lidar, short for “light detection and ranging,” uses lasers to create detailed maps of the environment.
The automaker said in a release that its new “DiSus” system “provides a foundation for future advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) development.”
The company has taken a relatively cautious approach to self-driving technology.
Asked about “smart driving” during a call with investors in late March, BYD management said autonomous driving still faces the challenge of determining liability in an accident. Still, management said, advanced driver assistance technology has the potential to improve overall safety. That’s according to a record of last month’s call that was accessed through the Wind Information database.
The industry as a whole has worked to strike a balance between ambitious driver assistance options and measured safety protocols. EV leader Tesla recalled more than 360,000 cars in February over driver assistance software for city streets it said could cause accidents.
That urban assisted driving software is not available to Tesla drivers in China.
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It wasn’t immediately clear how Tesla’s shock absorption capabilities compare to BYD’s, but other car companies in China are exploring similar technology.
Nio’s investment fund Nio Capital led a September $39 million financing round in Boston-based ClearMotion, which develops software for active suspension.
Many details still unknown
BYD’s Wang didn’t elaborate on what the company’s new DiSus system would cost to run, or when it would become widely available.
Two of the compatible car models – Yangwang’s forthcoming U8 SUV and the Denza N7 SUV – are not yet available for delivery. Car giant Daimler has a small stake in BYD’s Denza brand.
BYD said some of its existing Han, Tang and Denza models are ready to receive the new technology through a wireless upgrade.
The new system comes in three versions – “damping”, “air” and “hydraulic” – set up for individual integration with certain BYD models.
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In the first quarter, BYD said it sold 264,647 all-electric passenger cars, more than 80% more than a year ago. Sales of hybrid passenger cars doubled from a year ago to 283,270 in the first quarter.
For its part, Tesla said it delivered more than 422,000 cars worldwide in the first quarter, without sharing a regional breakdown. China typically accounts for more than 20% of Tesla’s sales.