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The view from inside a Zeekr Mix electric vehicle at one of the company’s showrooms in Shanghai, China, on March 16, 2025.
BEIJING — In a strategic move to enhance its competitive edge, Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Zeekr is set to offer advanced driver-assistance features at no cost to its local customers, as announced by CEO Andy An in an interview with CNBC prior to a launch event scheduled for Tuesday.
This technology allows the vehicle to operate almost autonomously between designated destinations, provided that drivers maintain contact with the steering wheel and relevant regulations are met—a requirement that is increasingly being fulfilled across major cities in China.
Zeekr’s initiative follows a trend among electric vehicle brands in China that are introducing upgraded driver-assistance technologies. This shift occurs amid Tesla’s efforts to capture more interest among buyers for its own Full Self Driving system within the Chinese market.
Tesla recently faced backlash for the pricing of its driver-assistance software, previously set at 64,000 yuan (approximately $8,850). In a surprising turn, some users reported on social media that Tesla is offering select customers the driver-assistance system for free until April 16. However, the company has not yet commented on these claims.
In contrast, Zeekr plans to provide its driver-assistance technology for free, starting with a pilot group that will lead to a broader public release planned for April.
CEO An indicated that given the current phase of technological development, the company doesn’t see subscriptions as significant at this time. “We need to close the gap on driver assistance with market leaders and establish ourselves as a key player,” he noted, highlighting Zeekr’s previous offerings which had been limited to more basic assistance tasks such as parking.
Ahead of its quarterly earnings report on Thursday, Zeekr’s shares have appreciated about 6% year-to-date. The company is also notable for being publicly traded in the United States.
Nvidia Chips
Looking ahead, An revealed that an upgraded version of the system will leverage Nvidia’s cutting-edge Thor automotive chip alongside one long-range and four short-range lidar units. He emphasized that while the adoption of lidar may increase manufacturing costs, it underscores the company’s strong commitment to safety.
Furthermore, Zeekr’s driver-assistance system will also be utilized in vehicles from Lynk & Co., another electric vehicle brand, and potentially in cars from Geely, the company’s parent organization. Earlier this year, Zeekr officially acquired Lynk & Co.
From Price War to Driver-Assistance Competition
The sales of Nvidia’s “self-driving platforms” have played a significant role in propelling the chipmaker’s automotive revenue to an unprecedented $570 million in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2025.
Reflecting robust market demand, lidar manufacturer Hesai reported this month that its lidar shipments have more than doubled each year for the past four consecutive years through 2024.
According to Hesai’s CFO Andrew Fan, the company anticipates substantial growth in the demand for advanced driver-assistance technologies this year compared to the last. He humorously noted that the narrative in China’s electric vehicle market has shifted from a fierce price competition to a focus on driver assistance innovations.
Over recent years, advanced technology features have emerged as pivotal selling points for new energy vehicles (NEVs)—which encompass fully electric and hybrid models. In February, NEV leader BYD introduced driver-assist capabilities to over 20 different car models and expressed intentions to launch a point-to-point assistance upgrade by the close of 2025.
The most basic iteration of BYD’s driver-assistance technology utilizes Horizon Robotics’ chipset in conjunction with Nvidia’s Orin, while higher-end models are equipped solely with other Nvidia chips, as per research conducted by Nomura.
Chinese electric vehicle startup Xpeng, which has prioritized advanced driver assistance in its branding strategy, has successfully maintained a monthly delivery rate exceeding 30,000 vehicles since November, aided by the successful launch of its new P7+ model that avoids extra subscription fees for driver assistance features.
Nio has also promoted its driver-assistance offerings through a subscription model, although it has not yet begun charging users for access to these features, as informed by the company.
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