He Xiaopeng, the chairman and CEO of XPeng Motors, recently shared his insights after testing Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software in the United States.
His experience sheds light on the ongoing advancements and competition in the autonomous driving sector. But is he impressed about that?
Experiencing Tesla FSD in California
During his visit o California, Xiaopeng tested Tesla's FSD version V12.3.6 and also experienced Waymo's autonomous driving capabilities.
He shared his thoughts on Weibo, highlighting the strengths of both systems. According to him, FSD fared better in Silicon Valley and the highways, while Wayvo has an advantage in the urban area of San Francisco.
As reported by Electrek, Xiaopeng praised the significant improvements in Tesla's FSD over the months and expressed his intention to learn from its advanced features and user experience. He also hinted at a forthcoming video where he will compare Tesla's FSD with XPeng's own Navigation Guided Pilot (XNGP).
"I believe 2025 will be a pivotal 'ChatGPT moment' for the fully autonomous driving era, revolutionizing how we interact with technology and fundamentally transforming the way we travel. In the autonomous driving industry, everyone is learning from each other and iterating quickly to create a better mobility experience for all," he wrote on LinkedIn.
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XPeng's Autonomous Driving Achievements
XPeng Motors is recognized as one of China's leading companies in autonomous driving technology. Its XNGP system is capable of point-to-point autonomous driving on highways and urban roads across hundreds of cities.
A Friendly Exchange with Elon Musk
On June 20,Xiaopeng posted on Weibo about his experiences with Tesla's FSD and Waymo. The post was shared on Twitter by @SawyerMerritt, prompting a comment from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who remarked that the Chinese automakers are by far the most competitive.
In support with this, Musk predicts that Chinese EV makers might dominate global markets some day.
Tesla's Expansion Plans for FSD in China
Xiaopeng's exploration of Tesla's FSD comes at a crucial time, as Tesla prepares to introduce its FSD software in China. Reuters reported on May 30 that Tesla was registering the FSD software with Chinese authorities, aiming for a launch later this year.
On June 14, SH Observer, a local media outlet, mentioned that Shanghai's Nanhui New Town was facilitating a pilot of FSD with 10 Tesla vehicles.
Currently, all Tesla vehicles in China come with Basic Autopilot (BAP) for free. Additionally, Tesla offers Enhanced Autopilot (EAP) and FSD software options in China, priced at $4,410 and $8,820, respectively.
Despite the lack of algorithms trained specifically for Chinese road conditions, EAP and FSD provide features like Summoning that are not available in the free BAP version.
As Tesla looks to bring FSD to China and XPeng expands its XNGP capabilities, the global race for autonomous driving supremacy is heating up. This friendly rivalry promises to drive innovation and improve the autonomous driving experience for consumers worldwide.
For a detailed look at He Xiaopeng's experience with Tesla's FSD, we recommend watching the full video.
