Summary of Key Points
He Xiaopeng, CEO of Xpeng Motors, stated in an interview that China is leading the world in both assisted driving technology and regulatory frameworks. The United Nations has recently approved regulations for Level 2 intelligent driving, allowing features such as NGP (Next Generation Pilot) and NOA (Autonomous Navigation Assistance) to be implemented globally starting at the end of this year. The world's first unified autonomous driving regulation, ADS GTR, has been released, and China's mandatory autonomous driving standards are also in the approval process (which include more detailed requirements for Levels 3 and 4). Xpeng adheres to a pure vision-based approach and has launched the pre-sale of its first global model, the Mona L03, aiming to share its intelligent driving technology. However, globalization poses challenges such as adapting the technology to different driving scenarios. He believes that Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous driving is likely to become a reality in the next 3-5 years, and he looks forward to mutual exchange of advanced technologies to drive progress worldwide.
I. China's Assisted Driving: Leading the World in Both Technology and Regulation
He Xiaopeng's claim that China is "leading the world" in assisted driving is not an empty statement. On one hand, Chinese companies have developed robust technical products—China and the United States are the only two countries where Level 2 assisted driving has been widely implemented (for example, Xpeng's NGP and Tesla's NOA), while most regions in the EU have not yet caught up. On the other hand, China is moving quickly with regulatory developments, establishing mandatory national standards for autonomous driving that cover the core aspects of global regulations and set more stringent safety requirements for Levels 3 and 4. More importantly, as a member of the United Nations' transportation regulation committee, China has a voice in shaping global rules, demonstrating its international influence in this field.
II. Global Regulatory Breakthrough: Level 2 Functions Finally Available Worldwide
The newly approved UN regulations for Level 2 intelligent driving provide a unified framework for all countries. Previously, different countries had varying requirements for Level 2 functions; companies had to modify their technology to comply with local regulations when selling cars internationally. With these new regulations in place, features like NGP and NOA will be legally available in most regions from December this year. This is a significant boon for Chinese automakers, as they no longer need to customize their products for each market.
III. Xpeng's Technical Approach: Why Abandon High-precision Maps and LiDAR?
Xpeng previously used high-precision maps (which require detailed road data to be pre-generated) and LiDAR (which uses ultrasonic signals to detect the environment), but has since switched to a pure vision-based system using cameras. The reason is practical: many countries have incomplete road maps, and even the road planning is often chaotic, making high-precision maps ineffective. Vision-based systems are more versatile—Xpeng compares this to how humans use their eyes in most situations (during the day on highways), with radar only being needed in low-light or low-speed conditions. Moreover, 4D vision technology (which can measure distances and speeds of objects) is advancing rapidly, and more companies are focusing on this approach.
IV. Globalization Challenges: Easy to Enter Markets, Difficult to Adapt Technology
Xpeng's Mona L03 is already available for pre-sale, with plans for global delivery upon launch. The company also aims to introduce its second-generation intelligent driving system globally. However, adapting technology to different markets is a major challenge. For example, German highways often have speeds exceeding 120 km/h, requiring assisted driving systems to handle higher speeds; European roads are narrow in some areas, and there are many intersections without traffic lights, necessitating adaptive systems that can learn from real-world conditions (a process known as "intelligent generalization"). This means Xpeng's systems must be extensively tested in various environments to ensure safety.
V. Future Prospects: Level 4 and Level 5 Are Approaching; Global Competition Ahead
He Xiaopeng previously suggested that China could skip Level 3 and move directly to Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous driving. Level 3 requires some human intervention, while Level 4 allows for fully autonomous operation in specific scenarios. He reiterated that both levels are expected to become a reality within the next 3-5 years. He also emphasizes the importance of global technology exchange, suggesting that Chinese technologies will be exported and foreign technologies imported, breaking the traditional model of manually writing rules for assisted driving. This will lead to more intelligent systems, making driving easier for consumers in the coming years.
In summary, this news indicates two key trends: China's autonomous driving technology is moving from a domestic leader to a global competitor, and a vision-based approach is likely to become the mainstream. Globalization will require automakers to adapt their technologies to different markets. For car owners, this means they will have access to more advanced features and a wider range of models in the future.