Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD has added an advanced driver-assistance system for most of its models at no additional cost, catapulting its shares to a record high.
Chinese customers can now experience the carmaker’s proprietary “God’s Eye” driver-assistance system in models that cost as little as 69,800 yuan ($9,555).
Analysts said the move could further fuel a brutal, ongoing price war in the world’s biggest car market.
“2025 will be the first year of intelligent driving for all,” BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu said in an event from its headquarters in Shenzhen on Monday.
Wang predicted that high-level intelligent driving will become an essential feature in automobiles, much like seat belts and airbags, within the next three years.
Previously, the “God’s Eye” feature, introduced in 2023 to assist car navigation, was only offered in BYD models costing more than $30,000.
BYD ranked sixth in global car sales, with China’s Geely Auto following in tenth, Wang said onstage, citing research from Cailianshe, a state-linked media firm. It also dominated the Chinese market, accounting for over 32% of total new energy vehicle sales in 2024, according to China Passenger Car Association.
Tu Le, founder and managing director of the consultancy Sino Auto Insights, said BYD’s move “puts their competitors on their heels” because of the affordable pricing.
Tesla, BYD’s main rival, has released similar Full Self-Driving features in the US for a subscription fee of $99 a month or a one time payment of $8,000. It awaits regulatory approval to launch trials in the Chinese market.
