BYD plans to roll out smart driving system in overseas markets soon, including Singapore
The world's largest EV maker told CNA that while it cannot commit to a specific timeline, the technology could be rolled out progressively, with certain features made available first instead of all at once.
Singapore, where BYD has become the top-selling car so far this year, will get some smart driving features by next year at the latest, said Liu Xueliang, general manager of the company's Asia Pacific auto sales division.
These features include automated parking, adaptive cruising and remote parking, where a driver can use their mobile phone to park or drive their vehicle.
The system relies on different cameras, radar and lidar sensors to do this, though the specific configuration is based on different tiers.
Liu noted that BYD first needs to test its assisted-driving system on actual roads and 'constantly evolve the algorithm', given the differing road conditions in various countries.
'Of course, there are also some habits of local consumers, including some (assisted) self-driving, parking, and highway conditions,' he added.
On top of that, he noted that automakers need to adhere to each country's laws and regulations on unmanned driving, which are rapidly evolving as autonomous vehicle technology advances.
'We respect the laws and regulations of any market and need to pass their rigorous certification system,' Liu said.
'When everything is mature, we will gradually push this to the market in the short term.'
SHIFTING GEARS
This comes as China seeks new markets for its vehicles to boost its economic growth and exports, amid ongoing trade tensions and accusations of overcapacity by the likes of the United States and Europe.
Liu also said the highly competitive EV market in China is shifting gears from vehicle electrification.
'Now, the Chinese market is in the stage of intelligence competition,' he pointed out to CNA during a media visit to the firm's headquarters in Shenzhen.
China, which is the world's largest automotive market, has seen a years-long price war where carmakers have been slashing prices and offering features previously perceived as premium, such as smart assisted driving, for free.
BYD announced in February that it will offer the 'God's Eye' smart driving system, which was first unveiled in 2023, in nearly all of its vehicles at no additional cost to buyers.
The cheapest model it offered was the popular Seagull hatchback, priced at US$9,555 at the time.
Last weekend, the company announced a fresh round of subsidies and incentives for more than 20 models, reducing the price of the Seagull to about US$7,800.
BYD's move to integrate smart features in almost all its future vehicles was part of efforts to challenge its domestic rivals like Xpeng as well as American EV maker Tesla.
LARGER SCALE THAN COMPETITORS
Xpeng and Nio have announced smart features in their cars as well, but both Chinese EV makers sold about 100,000 to 200,000 vehicles each last year – significantly fewer than BYD, which sold more than 4 million vehicles globally in 2024.
Experts said this scale brings not just cost savings, but other benefits too.
Tu Le, founder and managing director of consulting firm Sino Auto Insights, said the data BYD can collect from the cars it sells will enable the technology to 'get better very fast'.
'Some of these other car companies (that) don't have as many vehicles on the road and aren't collecting as much data, it might take a little bit longer,' he added.
'They're already ahead of BYD currently (in terms of technology). Whether they can stay ahead of BYD in the long term, I'm not that sure.'
This has also put smart driving features within reach of many countries.
'If you were talking to somebody in Mexico, Thailand or Vietnam, it wasn't on their radar,' he said.
'Now, because BYD already sells into these markets, these capabilities are going to become standard. It's something that could be used all over the world within the next four or five years.
In terms of foreign markets, he also flagged concerns over whether countries or regions, such as Southeast Asia, are ready for assisted-driving technology.
Other challenges include data privacy and whether users will accept the technology.
"I have concerns and fears, such as what problems may arise in traffic jams, and scratches,' said 33-year-old Xi'an native, who only wanted to be identified as Mr Dong.
Thirty-three-year-old Su Na, who works in the exhibitions and events industry, told CNA: "I am still sceptical about new energy vehicles because there are too many that will catch fire or lock when there is an accident.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
44 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Silence does not work when dealing with job loss blues
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Retrenchment is viewed differently now. Just look at the LinkedIn networking platform, which is peppered with posts on job losses, says the writer. SINGAPORE - Growing up, I was obsessed with collecting toys that came with Happy Meals. Whenever my parents took me to a McDonald's outlet, I looked forward to going home with a Hello Kitty plushie or a Transformers autobot. For what I thought was a blissful period, my dad started adding a new toy to my collection almost every day. I learnt only recently that I had got it completely wrong. He had been retrenched. Not wanting to worry my mum, he continued to leave home as usual and spent the day at the library, often having lunch at McDonald's, until he found a new job. Unbeknownst to him, my mum knew about the ruse. She had tried to reach him in the office and was inadvertently told that he had lost his job. I did not understand why my parents, who had a loving relationship, found it difficult to talk about retrenchment, until earlier this year. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 280 vapes seized, more than 640 people checked by police, HSA in anti-vape raids at nightspots Singapore SPLRT disruption: 28km of cables to be tested during off-service hours; works to end by Aug 23 Singapore First-half GDP boost likely temporary; Republic must stay relevant amid challenges: Chan Chun Sing Life Six-figure sales each durian season: Why S'pore durian sellers are now live selling on TikTok Singapore Airport-bound public bus to be fitted with luggage rack in 3-month trial: LTA Asia Australian universities slash staff, courses as rising wages and foreign student curbs bite Life Meet the tutors who take O-level exams every year to create a 'war mate' bond with their students Life Pivot or perish: How Singapore restaurants are giving diners what they want That was when my then employer, an international media outlet, closed most of the roles in my Singapore-based division. My colleagues and I were encouraged to apply for new positions that were made available under a restructuring process. I had dialled into the meeting because I was on annual leave and thousands of miles away from home. Towards the end, we were asked if we had any questions. I found myself with a jumble of thoughts and nothing to say. I wandered around a museum and watched a ballet performance. All while feeling like I was going through the five stages of grief. I kept it from my mum, not wanting to worry her. In other conversations, I said I was feeling okay. I was determined to focus on the positives. I would not feel the impact immediately, as I was expected at work for several more months. I also had the opportunity to apply for roles within the company, and I knew I had a decent chance at them. Finally, I did not have large financial commitments. I did not have a mortgage or children. Then the insecurities crept in, and these were much harder to talk about. I felt shame, even though we were told the restructuring was not based on performance. I questioned if I was employable in an industry that I had spent a decade in. I stacked myself up against my colleagues, many of whom were trying for roles in the restructuring, and external applicants. I contended with how I would feel if I failed to get a role, and as importantly, how that would look. The optics bothered me and there was nothing I could do but sit with uncomfortable feelings. I can only imagine what was running through my dad's mind in the late 1990s, when retrenchment was a taboo subject. He was the sole breadwinner supporting a mortgage, my mum and I, and with more at stake than existential thoughts and a bruised ego. Retrenchment is viewed differently now. Just look at the LinkedIn networking platform, which is peppered with posts on job losses. The responses are overwhelmingly positive, offering comfort and, more often than not, connections to a new gig. As one retrenched worker put it: 'The response from you all has been so supportive and genuinely encouraging that it almost makes a girl want to get laid off more often! Emphasis on the almost...' In the current economic climate, with companies from Microsoft to the Bumble dating app announcing layoffs, people are using the platform to talk about the grief associated with losing a job. I have benefited from this, as it reminds me that retrenchment is a relatively common experience. But I could not find the words for a post, and having to engage in a public space felt like too much of a burden. Grief, however, had a way of reminding me that it needed some place to go. I was hypersensitive and erratic, and I knew I needed to accept that things would not be the same. With the restructuring, I lost a job that I loved, which came with a range of functions. I lost colleagues, many of whom had become friends. In choosing to leave the company, despite being offered roles, I gave up the prestige that comes with working for a global organisation. Giving grief an airing looks like this to me. In the immediate aftermath of the restructuring, my colleagues and I spoke a lot, sharing our worries, encouragement and practical resources. This grounded me during a challenging time when I was often working the early shift, and spending the afternoons and evenings at interviews. I am seeing a counsellor, which was a benefit offered to affected staff. She has helped me to balance my identity as a journalist with the other things I value. I told my loved ones about my struggles. I put aside thoughts of whether my feelings were valid and focused on what I knew I was carrying. Somewhere along the way, I told my mum. 'Never mind,' she said. 'Remember to eat well or else you will have no energy.' I learnt a big lesson. The stigma of retrenchment is nowhere as strong as my dad's experience, but it still carries a sting. During the process, I felt most comfortable keeping silent, thinking it was the best way to figure out the next steps. That silence magnified my inner turmoil. In crises, we are often our harshest judges. We live in a world that I hope has become kinder to downturns, failures and messy feelings. I don't think I have grown more comfortable with putting my thoughts online. But I did not have to look far for support, with people who were willing to see me through a difficult season.
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Air Canada grounds hundreds of flights as cabin crew set up picket lines
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Air Canada cabin crew hold picket signs as they kick off their strike on Aug 16, 2025. TORONTO – Air Canada cancelled hundreds of flights on Aug 16 as it began shutting down operations in response to a strike by flight attendants, triggering summer travel chaos for its 130,000 daily passengers. Canada's largest airline, which flies directly to 180 cities worldwide, urged customers not to go to the airport if they have a ticket for Air Canada or its lower-cost subsidiary Air Canada Rouge. It said flights by Air Canada Express, which are operated by a third party, would not be impacted by the walkout. 'Air Canada deeply regrets the effect the strike is having on customers,' the company said in a statement. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (Cupe), which represents Air Canada's 10,000 flight attendants, said that strike action officially began at 12.58am (12.5pm Singapore time) on Aug 16. In response, Air Canada began a 'lockout' of cabin crew belonging to Cupe, preventing the employees from working during the standoff fueled by a payment dispute. Air Canada had been gradually winding down operations ahead of the possible labour action. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 280 vapes seized, more than 640 people checked by police, HSA in anti-vape raids at nightspots Singapore SPLRT disruption: 28km of cables to be tested during off-service hours; works to end by Aug 23 Singapore First-half GDP boost likely temporary; Republic must stay relevant amid challenges: Chan Chun Sing Life Six-figure sales each durian season: Why S'pore durian sellers are now live selling on TikTok Singapore Airport-bound public bus to be fitted with luggage rack in 3-month trial: LTA Singapore 3 truck drivers injured after chain collision on ECP, including one rescued with hydraulic tools Life Meet the tutors who take O-level exams every year to create a 'war mate' bond with their students Life Pivot or perish: How Singapore restaurants are giving diners what they want As of 8pm on Aug 15, the airline said it had cancelled 623 flights affecting more than 100,000 passengers. Its full 700-flight daily schedule has been scrapped for Aug 16. 'At this time, Air Canada remains engaged and committed to negotiate a renewal to its collective agreement with Cupe,' it said. Outside Toronto Pearson International Airport – Canada's busiest – hundreds of cabin crew waved flags, banners and picket signs. Union officials called on members to assemble outside all of the country's major airports, including in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. Unpaid ground work The dispute between the union and the airline centres on wages. Attendants are currently paid only when their plane is moving. The union is seeking compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board. The union has said Air Canada offered to compensate flight attendants for some work that is now unpaid but only at 50 per cent of their hourly rate. The carrier offered a 38 per cent increase in total compensation for flight attendants over four years, with a 25 per cent raise in the first year, which the union said was insufficient. The impact of a strike will ripple far beyond Canada. Air Canada is the busiest foreign carrier servicing the United States by number of scheduled flights. While passengers have generally voiced support for the flight attendants on social media, Canadian businesses – already reeling from a trade dispute with the US – have urged the federal government to impose binding arbitration on both sides, ending the strike. Air Canada jets sit idle on the tarmac as a cabin crew strike begins on Aug 16, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS The Canada Labour Code gives Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu the right to ask the country's Industrial Relations Board to impose binding arbitration in the interests of protecting the economy. Air Canada has asked Prime Minister Mark Carney's minority Liberal government to act, but the union says it wants a negotiated solution, as binding arbitration would take pressure off the airline. Ms Hajdu has repeatedly urged the two sides to return to the bargaining table. In a note to clients, analysts at financial services firm TD Cowen urged the carrier to 'extend an olive branch to end the impasse', adding that investors are worried that any cost savings on labour would be outweighed by lost earnings in the airline's most important quarter. 'We think it would be best for AC to achieve labour peace,' the note said. 'Not budging on negotiations risks being a pyrrhic victory.' AFP, REUTERS
CNA
7 hours ago
- CNA
47:07 Min
Singapore Tonight Singapore Tonight - Fri 15 Aug 2025 From business to politics, health to technology, we bring you up-to-date with the latest news on Singapore and analyze how these events may affect you tomorrow.
