Xpeng is starting to abandon HD maps in its XNGP autonomous driving system

Xpeng

Chinese company Xpeng has stopped using high-definition (HD) maps in its XNGP unmanned driving system, described as the Chinese analogue to Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD).

Here's What We Know

HD maps contain a lot of details about roads, which helps autonomous cars navigate. However, Tesla long ago abandoned them in favour of computer vision, and it looks like Xpeng has followed suit.

The map-free XNGP system will be rolled out in 20 Chinese cities, and will cover 50 cities by the end of 2023. This will allow cars to travel anywhere without being restricted to pre-recorded maps.

Xpeng still uses lidar in addition to cameras, unlike Tesla, which relies only on computer vision. Other autonomous vehicle developers in China are also looking to move away from expensive HD maps.

Source: TechCrunch