BYD's 'God's Eye' aims for zero accidents, covers crash costs at $1,770

BYD, the world's largest electric vehicle maker, has set its sights on achieving zero traffic accidents with its new 'God's Eye' autonomous driving system. Founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu announced the system at a press conference in Shenzhen, pricing it at just 12,000 yuan (US$1,770). The advanced driver-assistance system allows drivers to go 'hands off,' and BYD has made a bold promise: it will cover any costs from traffic accidents when the technology is activated. Wang highlighted that roughly 1.19 million people die in traffic accidents globally each year, and tens of millions more are injured, calling the system a step toward eliminating those numbers.

Wang did not provide a commercialisation timeline, but the announcement signals a strategic shift for BYD. Independent analyst Gao Shen noted the move moves the company away from price cuts toward technological advancements to gain market share. BYD also revealed it has built more than 6,100 flash-charging stations, the most among Chinese carmakers, supporting its broader EV ecosystem. The God's Eye system uses cameras, lidar, and radar to monitor road conditions without blind spots, claiming it never gets tired. This positions BYD to bring affordable autonomous driving to mass-market consumers, potentially forcing competitors to either invest heavily in similar tech or cut costs to remain competitive.