Beijing grants approval for driver-assist feature in Xpeng, a renowned Chinese EV brand

BEIJING — Xpeng, the renowned Chinese electric car brand, announced on Thursday that it has received approval to introduce assisted driving technology to users in Beijing, the capital city of China.

Initially, this coverage will be limited to the “ring-road” highways encircling the city center and the main high-speed roads, as stated in the Chinese-language release (translated by CNBC).

However, the precise timeline for the integration of driver-assist technology on all streets in Beijing is yet to be determined.

This announcement follows Xpeng’s earlier release of urban scenario driver-assist technology for users in Shanghai in March. It was first launched in Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

Xpeng intends to expand its tech, called XNGP, to other Chinese cities throughout this year. The system, available for a fee to drivers of specific models, offers software that facilitates smooth braking at traffic lights, turning at intersections, and other tasks on city streets, making driving easier and safer.

Notably, Xpeng is the only automaker in China that provides a comparable level of driver-assist technology to Tesla. While Tesla offers assisted driving for highways, its “Full Self Driving” function for city streets is not yet available in China.

In China, electric car brands have been increasingly highlighting their plans for driver-assist technology to attract customers. Xpeng, during its recent earnings call, stated that its driver-assist tech has generated significant customer interest in cities where it is operational. However, the brand’s monthly deliveries have generally lagged behind those of its competitors.