To build trust in its software, BYD made a stunning, industry-first pledge: the automaker announced it will fully cover all repair costs and financial compensation for any traffic accidents that occur while a driver is actively using its “City Navigation” automated driving function. Crucially, BYD stated that these incidents will be handled directly so they do not negatively impact the owner’s personal auto insurance premiums the following year, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The safety push aligns with a declaration from BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu, who stated that the company’s ultimate goal is to leverage intelligent-driving technology to achieve “zero traffic accidents.” Wang also revealed that budget-conscious buyers can upgrade their lower-tier models to the “God’s Eye B” smart-driving package for 12,000 yuan ($1,770).
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Alongside the service guarantees, BYD showcased its latest hardware breakthrough: a self-developed, highly efficient 4-nanometer microchip designed specifically to support advanced Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities.
The tech rollout arrives at a critical financial juncture for the EV giant. BYD recently reported its steepest quarterly profit drop since 2020. Even a highly anticipated, next-generation battery upgrade—the company’s first major battery overhaul in six years—has so far failed to reverse the broader slowdown in its domestic sales.
BYD’s aggressive strategy aims to steal a march on both global and domestic rivals in the highly competitive Chinese market. Global competitor Tesla is still waiting on final regulatory approvals to fully deploy its premium “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) features in China. Meanwhile, local EV rivals like Xpeng, Nio, and Li Auto are rapidly deploying their own sophisticated, AI-driven large language models trained on real-world driving data to capture tech-savvy buyers.
