- BYD said taking on L3 and L4 liability early shows confidence in its technology.
- LiDAR-equipped assisted driving system are available as an option across all BYD models for 12,000 yuan ($1,770).
BYD (HKEX: 1211) has taken a bold step in the autonomous driving race by announcing it will assume full financial liability for traffic accidents caused by its urban navigate-on-autopilot system in China.
The Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) giant announced the decision at an event on Thursday detailing its vehicle intelligence strategy. The commitment applies to users of the God's Eye A and B versions and is valid for one year from the date of vehicle delivery.
Existing owners can also enjoy the one-year safety guarantee after upgrading their software to version 5.0 via an over-the-air (OTA) update. The service is not limited to the first owner, nor is it restricted to the owner of the vehicle.
Taking on Level 3 and Level 4 liability early during the Level 2 stage demonstrates the company's absolute confidence in its own technology, said BYD chairman and president Wang Chuanfu.
The move follows a similar pledge made by the NEV maker in July 2025, when BYD promised to cover full losses for users involved in accidents while using its smart parking feature in China.
To further promote advanced driving technology, BYD announced that the LiDAR-equipped God's Eye B assisted driving system will be available as an option across its entire lineup, priced at 12,000 yuan ($1,770).
City navigate-on-autopilot is a crucial safety feature and should not be tied to the base price of the vehicle, Wang said.
Whether optional or standard, the hardware and software specifications of the system will remain completely uniform, he said.
BYD revealed yesterday that its long-term goal for the second half of the intelligence race is to achieve zero traffic accidents.
The company also unveiled major technical upgrades to its God's Eye system. The new Xuanji Architecture 2.0 features a full-stack, in-house developed central brain design, reducing system latency by 80% compared to the industry average.
In addition, BYD introduced a new physical AI large model to improve vehicles' decision-making capabilities in complex driving scenarios.
The system is backed by massive amounts of data, with its fleet generating up to 200 million kilometers of driving data daily.
For the God's Eye C version, BYD announced the system will be upgraded to version 4.0, which is based on an end-to-end architecture that does not rely on high-definition maps.
This quasi-urban navigate-on-autopilot feature will operate without HD maps and is expected to be rolled out starting in September 2026.
BYD also launched a dedicated technology platform for L3 and L4 autonomous driving. The platform features an industry-leading 10-fold redundant safety system, covering all critical aspects from sensors to braking systems.
As of late May, the number of BYD vehicles equipped with assisted driving systems had reached 3.15 million. This massive fleet size provides a solid foundation for continuous algorithm iteration and the commercialization of autonomous driving technology.
The automaker also showcased its in-house developed 4-nanometer automotive-grade smart driving chip, the Xuanji A3. The chip has already entered mass production, and three working in tandem can provide smart vehicles with a total computing power of over 2,100 TOPS.
By offering this liability guarantee, BYD is setting a new safety benchmark for China's smart car industry.
This not only pressures competitors to match its safety assurances but will also accelerate the widespread adoption of advanced assisted driving features.
($1 = 6.7706 yuan)
