Recent tests in China suggest that Tesla's autonomous driving technology is ahead of its Chinese competitors. These findings come from evaluations conducted by Chinese media outlets and Bytedance, the parent company of TikTok. The tests assessed the Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) of various electric vehicle brands in challenging highway and urban scenarios.
According to the results, Tesla's Model 3 and Model X outperformed other models, successfully navigating five out of six scenarios. In contrast, BYD's Denza Z9GT and Huawei-backed Aito M9 reportedly failed in three scenarios, while Xiaomi's SU7 passed in only one. These results have sparked discussions on Chinese social media regarding the capabilities of domestic versus international brands in autonomous driving.
These tests, conducted by Dcar and state broadcaster CCTV, simulated high-risk situations on highways and urban roads. The scenarios included sudden cut-ins from other vehicles, construction zones at night with stationary trucks, and even a dummy representing a wild boar running across the highway. Tesla's vehicles, relying solely on cameras and AI, demonstrated strong performance compared to competitors who also use lidar sensors.
Elon Musk commented on the results, noting that Tesla achieved these outcomes despite not using local training data due to data export restrictions. He stated that Tesla uses a global data-driven approach and relies on simulators and test tracks worldwide to train its AI. Despite these challenges, Tesla's system has shown adaptability to complex environments.
Even with Tesla's advancements, the company faces regulatory hurdles and market pressures in China. Chinese regulations prevent Tesla from fully accessing local data to refine its AI systems. Furthermore, Tesla's ADAS suite is offered as an optional feature at a cost of nearly $9,000, while many Chinese brands provide similar capabilities at no extra cost.
These test results have emerged amid increasing scrutiny of autonomous driving safety in China. Following a fatal crash involving a Xiaomi SU7 in March, regulators have banned marketing terms like "smart driving" and "autonomous driving". The Ministry of Public Security has also clarified that drivers will bear legal liability for accidents if they misuse or overly rely on driver assistance features.
Despite these challenges, Tesla's performance in the tests highlights its continued lead in autonomous driving technology. While Chinese EV brands are rapidly advancing in driver-assist technology, experts acknowledge that they still lag behind Tesla in areas such as multi-lane highway navigation and pedestrian detection. The results also emphasize the importance of localized adaptability as companies like Tesla seek approval to transfer Chinese data for algorithm training.
