- Fang Cheng Bao will launch Smart Driving editions of the Bao 5, which are expected to use Huawei's Qiankun ADS 3.0 software after the Bao 8.
- The Bao 5 entered a regulatory catalog yesterday that shows it will come with LiDAR.
Fang Cheng Bao, a sub-brand of BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY), is expected to use Huawei's smart driving software in its first model, the Bao 5, after its second model, the Bao 8, uses the tech giant's solution.
Fang Cheng Bao will launch the Smart Driving editions of the Bao 5 on February 21, with a launch event set to begin at 2 pm Beijing time, it announced today on Weibo.
The brand will join forces with Huawei once again, its text on Weibo hints.
BYD officially launched the Fang Cheng Bao brand on August 16, 2023, and unveiled the brand's first model, the Bao 5 off-road SUV.
The plug-in hybrid model was launched on November 9, 2023, and features the FiPilot smart driving system, which is exclusive to Fang Cheng Bao.
Fang Cheng Bao previously said that FiPilot -- similar in naming to BYD's DiPilot system -- has L2+ intelligent driving capabilities.
The BYD sub-brand signed a cooperation agreement with Huawei in August 2024 to launch joint research and development on smart driving.
Fang Cheng Bao and Huawei would work together to create the world's first smart driving solution exclusive to hardcore off-road vehicles, Fang Cheng Bao said at the time.
On November 12, 2024, Fang Cheng Bao launched the Bao 8, its second model and the first under the BYD umbrella to feature Huawei's driver assistance system.
The Bao 8 is equipped with Huawei's Qiankun ADS 3.0, which was released in April 2024, and enables advanced intelligent driving features including city NOA (Navigate on Autopilot).
Yesterday, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) released a new regulatory catalog for public comment, and the Bao 5 was included.
The Bao 5 in that catalog has only one page, and the image shows it using a LiDAR on the roof.
The Bao 5 currently on sale does not use LiDAR, and its smart driving hardware includes cameras, ultrasonic radars, and millimeter-wave radars.
The model currently has a starting price range of RMB 239,800 ($32,930) to RMB 302,800.
Fang Cheng Bao delivered 56,388 vehicles in 2024, with the Bao 5 contributing 48,913 units, or 86.74 percent, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
In January of this year, the brand delivered 6,219 vehicles, with 3,210 Bao 5s and 3,009 Bao 8s.
($1 = RMB 7.2821)
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