BEIJING: Xpeng, a prominent Chinese electric car brand, announced on Thursday that it has received approval to deploy its assisted driving technology to users in Beijing, the nation’s capital city.

The initial coverage of the technology will be limited to the “ring-road” highways encircling the city center and the main high-speed roads, as outlined in the Chinese-language release translated by CNBC.

While it remains uncertain when the driver-assist technology will be accessible on all Beijing city streets, Xpeng’s latest announcement marks another step forward in expanding their autonomous driving capabilities. In March, the company introduced urban scenario driver-assist technology for users in Shanghai, following earlier launches in Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

Xpeng, which aims to bring its driver-assist technology, known as XNGP, to additional cities in China this year, currently offers the system to drivers of specific models for a fee. XNGP assists with various tasks on city streets, including smooth braking at traffic lights, turning at intersections, and other driving maneuvers to enhance the overall driving experience.

Notably, Xpeng is the sole automaker in China that provides a comparable level of driver-assist technology to Tesla. While Tesla offers assisted driving capabilities for highways, its “Full Self Driving” function for driver-assist on city streets is not yet available in China.

With the approval to introduce assisted driving technology in Beijing, Xpeng continues to cement its position as a leader in the Chinese electric vehicle market, striving to provide innovative solutions that enhance safety and convenience for drivers in urban environments.

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