China’s BYD aims for zero accidents with ‘God’s Eye’, vows crash cost coverage

BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) maker, has set its sights on achieving zero traffic accidents through self-developed autonomous driving technology, aiming to assemble…

Founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu told a press conference in Shenzhen on Thursday that BYD’s “God’s Eye” advanced driver-assistance system would be priced at just 12,000 yuan (US$1,770). The system allows drivers to go “hands off”, with BYD pledging to cover any costs from traffic accidents when the technology is activated.

“There are roughly 1.19 million people who die in traffic accidents globally every year, and tens of millions more are injured. Our first goal is to achieve zero traffic accidents,” Wang said. “A car is equipped with more than a dozen cameras, lidar and radar – the equivalent of dozens of eyes – monitoring road conditions around the clock without blind spots. Advanced driver-assistance never gets tired.”

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Wang did not disclose a timetable for commercialisation.

The announcement underscores BYD’s push to secure a leading position in the future of mobility, with ambitions to mass-produce smarter cars at lower costs. Wang said the company had built more than 6,100 flash-charging stations in total, the most among Chinese carmakers.

Wang Chuanfu talks about BYD’s “God’s Eye” advanced driver-assistance system at a press conference on Thursday. Photo: Handout
Wang Chuanfu talks about BYD’s “God’s Eye” advanced driver-assistance system at a press conference on Thursday. Photo: Handout

“The latest technologies BYD unveiled [send] a message that the company is embarking on technological advancements, instead of price cuts, to increase its market share,” said Gao Shen, an independent analyst in Shanghai. “As a bellwether in the global EV industry, any drastic action taken by BYD could change the game since its competitors would have to either increase investment in new technologies or slash costs to keep their vehicles affordable.”

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