Chinese EV brand Xpeng gets approval for driver-assist in Beijing

BEIJING – CHINESE EV BRANDS Xpeng It announced on Thursday that it had received approval to begin rolling out its assisted-driving technology to users in the Chinese capital, Beijing.

According to CNBC’s Chinese-language press release, initial reports only included “ring road” expressways and “major expressways” running in concentric circles around the city center.

It is unclear when the driver-assistance technology will be available on all streets in Beijing.

Thursday’s announcement follows Xpeng’s unveiling of its city-scene driving assistance technology for users in Shanghai in March, after it had previously been rolled out in Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

Xpeng Motors said it plans to roll out the technology, called XNGP, to other Chinese cities this year. Available to drivers of certain models for a fee, the system claims to make driving easier through software that helps drivers brake smoothly at traffic lights, turn at intersections and perform other tasks on city streets.

Xpeng is the only automaker in China that offers a similar level of driver assistance technology as U.S. automakers tesla. While Tesla offers assisted driving technology for use on highways, its “Full Self-Driving” feature for assisting driving on city streets has not yet been rolled out in China.

Chinese EV brands are increasingly using driver-assist technology programs as a selling point.

Xpeng Motors claimed on its latest earnings call that its driver-assistance technology has dramatically increased customer interest in the cities in which it operates. The brand’s monthly deliveries generally lag behind competitors.