China’s BYD to integrate DeepSeek AI into vehicles, advancing self-driving technology

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD announced plans to integrate China’s cutting-edge AI model, Deepseek R1, into its vehicles while rolling out advanced self-driving technology across nearly all models, including budget-friendly cars priced under $10,000.

DeepSeek, the Chinese AI firm made headlines last month when it unveiled a chatbot that can match its American competitors apparently at a fraction of the cost.

At a press conference at BYD’s global headquarters in Shenzhen, the company announced its plans to enhance personalized consumer experiences and advance self-driving technology, following in the footsteps of domestic rivals Geely, Great Wall Motors, and Leapmotor, which have already implemented similar AI technologies.

Another major Chinese automaker, Geely, the owner of the renowned Volvo brand, has also decided to enhance its Xingrui car control system using a distillation training process with DeepSeek R1.

BYD’s autonomous driving system: ‘God’s Eye’

BYD will install its “God’s Eye” autonomous driving system in at least 21 models, including the Seagull budget hatchback priced at 69,800 yuan ($9,550). The system includes features such as remote parking and autonomous highway navigation previously found on more expensive vehicles.

Tesla has similar features available in its EVs priced from $32,000.

“Autonomous driving is no longer a remote rarity, it’s a… necessary tool,” BYD founder Wang Chuanfu said at a live-streamed event on Monday. Self-driving technology would become an “indispensable tool like safety belts or airbags” within a few years, he predicted.

Shares in BYD jumped 4.5% to a record high in Hong Kong on Tuesday—having already risen almost 20% in the days leading up to Monday’s event.

China’s auto market, the world’s largest, has seen a prolonged price war among dozens of EV producers desperate to grab market share. Almost 11 million electric and hybrid vehicles were sold in the country last year, up more than 40% from 2023.

BYD accounted for around 4.2 million of those sales, with its quarterly revenue overtaking Tesla’s for the first time in the third quarter.