BYD will integrate "autopilot" into all its electric cars at no extra cost

Chinese carmaker BYD has announced a new driver assistance system called "God's Eye", which is planned to be integrated into all models, including the BYD Seagull budget electric car priced from $9,300.

Here's What We Know

"God's Eye" is a multi-level set of active safety systems capable of controlling steering and speed in certain situations. The top tier, God's Eye A (DiPilot 600), uses three lidars to implement driving assistance functions and is designed for cars from Yangwang's premium sub-brand. The middle tier, God's Eye B (DiPilot 300), uses only one lidar and is designed for the more affordable Denza brand as well as the flagship models of the BYD brand. The Level A and Level B systems provide automatic guidance both on motorways and in urban environments.

Perhaps the most interesting level is God's Eye C (DiPilot 100), a budget version of the system based on cameras and radar. The system consists of 12 cameras (3 frontal, 5 panoramic and 4 circular cameras), 5 millimetre radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Initially, God's Eye C's functionality will be limited to automatic motorway guidance (NOA - Navigate-on-autopilot) without the ability to navigate city streets, which is however planned to be added in the future. All three versions of the God's Eye will also be connected to the DeepSeek artificial intelligence platform.

The technology unveiled by BYD marks an important step towards democratising driver assistance technology. Historically, advanced active safety systems have been the domain of the premium segment due to the high cost of sensors, cameras and related software development. BYD aims to make these technologies more affordable by equipping all new models with them without increasing the retail price. BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu said that "good technology should be available to everyone", emphasising the company's intention to extend advanced technology to budget segment cars such as the BYD Seagull and Dolphin.

This initiative could have a significant impact on the development of the electric vehicle industry and the automotive market as a whole, challenging the traditional model in which advanced driver assistance technologies remain the domain of expensive cars.

Source: InsideEVs