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   Millions of cheap EVs in China will get advanced self-driving features this   
   year  leaving the rest of the world far behind   
      
   Date:   
   Tue, 04 Feb 2025 12:28:07 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   The democratization of driver assist systems could fast-track fully    
   autonomous vehicles in China. But where does that leave the rest of the world?   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   A new study has revealed that around 15 million new cars sold in China will    
   be fitted with at least SAE Level 2 self-driving capabilities this year,   
   including models priced below 100,000 yuan (which is less than $14,000),   
   according to the South China Morning Post .    
      
   China EV100, which is a non-governmental organization that includes key   
   players from Chinas largest EV manufacturers, claims that two out of three    
   new cars sold on the mainland will have autonomous driving capabilities this   
   year. This will, at the very minimum, allow them to speed up, slow down and   
   change lanes without driver input.    
      
   Where these sort of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) were once the   
   reserve of more expensive models, the mass production of the technology has   
   forced prices down to a point where even the most affordable vehicles can now   
   offer them.    
      
   As a quick recap, SAE Level 2 autonomous vehicles offer partial automation,    
   so they can speed up, slow down and even steer, so long as the driver is   
   always ready to take back control, with hands on the wheel just in case.    
      
   Stepping up to SAE Level 3 allows drivers to take hands off the wheel and    
   eyes off the road, with the ability to engage with emails on the vehicles   
   infotainment system, for example.    
      
   Currently, this level is only legally available on a handful of models and   
   only in specific driving conditions in select regions of the world, with   
   Mercedes-Benz and BMW leading the way.    
      
   Despite what Elon Musk says, Tesla is still very much at SAE Level 2 until   
   legislation allows for unsupervised Full Self-Driving on public roads.    
      
   In China, many automotive manufacturers have already seen the potential of   
   autonomous driving, with UBS analyst Xu Bin predicting that Chinese companies   
   could save around 1.8 trillion yuan in annual labour costs by 2030 as   
   thousands of trucks become driverless, according to South China Morning Post.   
      
   Analysis: China is building a fully autonomous future   
      
   In China, the self-driving experience doesnt come with the same stigma that    
   it does in much of the Western world, where drivers are generally wary of its   
   capabilities.    
      
   On the contrary, young Chinese buyers are actively seeking out the latest   
   technology when purchasing new vehicles, with increasing levels of autonomy   
   high on the shopping list.    
      
   By forcing down the cost of the camera, Lidar, sensor and chipset technology   
   required (lets not get into how China has managed to do that here), the   
   country has been able to introduce it on a mass scale.    
      
   It is widely agreed that higher levels of automation on the road will only   
   really work when vehicles equipped with the required technology reach    
   critical mass.    
      
   Theres a much slimmer chance of an accident occurring if everyone on the   
   highway is using some form of auto-pilot system, for example.    
      
   Despite this, there are still major automotive players in China that don't   
   believe we will ever reach a point where a human isn't involved. One of BYD's   
   spokespeople told reporters at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show that it is "   
   basically impossible ".    
      
   But with two out of three new cars sold in China this year meeting basic   
   autonomous driving requirements, it wont be long before parts of the country   
   could legitimately allow for much higher levels of autonomous activity on   
   public roads.    
      
   This technological prowess would make it easier to geo-fence certain areas   
   where SAE Level 3 systems are mandatory, for example.    
      
   Alternatively, the country could even legislate that every new car sold must   
   be capable of automatically adjusting to speed limits, keeping lanes and   
   autonomously braking, thus creating a more predictable environment for   
   autonomous vehicles to thrive.    
      
   It is believed that Teslas Full Self-Driving system, often regarded as one of   
   the most advanced in the world, will begin testing in China this year.    
      
   With a more supportive framework, Elon Musks predictions of a fully    
   autonomous future may well be realized just 7,000-miles away from where it    
   was first conceived. Y   
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/hybrid-electric-vehicles/millions-of-ch   
   eap-evs-in-china-will-get-advanced-self-driving-features-this-year-leaving-the   
   -rest-of-the-world-far-behind   
      
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