BYD has announced a new liability coverage program for its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) in China, a move the company says is intended to increase consumer confidence in assisted driving technology.
The policy applies to vehicles equipped with BYD’s God’s Eye intelligent driving system and covers certain accidents that occur while drivers are using the system’s Urban Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) feature.
Under the program, BYD says it will assume financial responsibility when a legally liable accident occurs while a driver is properly using the Urban Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) feature within its God’s Eye intelligent driving system. The one-year coverage applies to both new vehicle buyers and existing owners who update to the latest God’s Eye 5.0 software.
The Chinese automaker revealed the new policy during its Intelligence Strategy Launch Event in Shenzhen last week, where it also unveiled a new in-house automotive chip and outlined its long-term autonomous driving ambitions.
Coverage Goes Beyond Traditional Insurance
According to the company, eligible incidents can include damage to the owner’s vehicle, third-party property damage, and personal injury claims. BYD says the coverage is provided without requiring customers to purchase a separate intelligent driving insurance policy, and claims it will not impact the driver’s insurance premiums the following year.
The move expands upon a policy BYD introduced last year covering accidents that occurred during automated parking maneuvers. With the latest announcement, BYD says it is now the first automaker to provide liability coverage for both intelligent parking and urban assisted driving functions.
The company believes the policy will help reduce consumer concerns about using assisted driving technologies and encourage greater adoption of the features.
How It Differs From Tesla
Tesla currently sells its assisted driving package in China for 64,000 yuan (~C$13,000) while waiting for full approval from authorities to launch its FSD software. Meanwhile, BYD’s God’s Eye B system can be added to its vehicles for around 12,000 yuan (~C$2,400).
Unlike BYD’s new program, Tesla does not assume liability for accidents that occur while drivers are using its supervised driving technology.
BYD says its confidence comes from having more than 3.15 million vehicles equipped with intelligent driving assistance systems are currently on Chinese roads, generating roughly 200 million km of driving data every day.
New Chip Targets Higher Levels of Automation
Alongside the liability announcement, BYD introduced its new XUANJI A3 automotive processor, a 4-nanometer chip developed internally to support future Level 3 and Level 4 automated driving capabilities.
The company also revealed upgrades to its God’s Eye software architecture, expanded sensor configurations, and new AI-powered in-car assistant features designed to create a more capable and interactive driving experience.
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