Xpeng gives details about camera-based approach to self-driving with new electric sedan

Xpeng Motors unveiled the P7+ sedan in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen on Thursday, September 10, 2024. Credit: Xpeng Motors

Xpeng Motors is shifting towards a  camera-based sensor system and away from expensive lidar, on Thursday providing a handful of new details on its assisted driving technology. A new electric sedan also made its debut at an event, bringing the company into direct competition with popular models including the Tesla Model 3, BYD’s Han, and the Xiaomi SU7.

Why it matters: The P7+, a completely new model following in the footsteps of its first sedan P7 launched four years ago, is expected to go on sale at a competitive price point and replicate the initial success of its cheaper-than-expected and technologically advanced MONA M03.

Xpeng reduced the cost of making its vehicles by 25% with this B-class model “through technological advancements,” expecting it to become a top-seller in the second half of this year, chief executive He Xiaopeng told investors during an earnings call in May.New image sensors: CEO He called Xpeng’s new lidar-less, vision-based approach, “the Eagle Eye,” saying it will be the first in the industry to harness the capabilities of the so-called lateral overflow integration capacitors (LOFIC), which allow its vehicle’s cameras to capture scenes with a large brightness discrepancy.

Image sensors usually have a limited dynamic range of brightness that can be photographed, creating overexposed or underexposed images in difficult lighting conditions such as nightscapes and backlight. However, those with a LOFIC structure have a wider dynamic range, meaning objects could be captured with a more balanced exposure.

This makes it possible to avoid blowing out the front vehicle when the cameras on an Xpeng’s car try to recognize it at points of extreme illumination such as at the exit of a tunnel, according to a slide presentation seen on Thursday by TechNode. Xpeng said the P7+ will integrate 26 sensors, mainly cameras, as well as dual NVIDIA’s DRIVE Orin chips, but no lidar units.

The technology is being adopted in more premium and newer consumer electronics devices due to the sophistication of the circuit’s structure, with Sony and Samsung among the major suppliers, while Chinese firms are making their replacements. Smartphone maker Honor in March announced its Magic 6 Ultimate would feature a main camera using image sensors with a LOFIC structure from Omnivision.A sporty sedan: The P7+ is a sporty hatchback-style sedan with a gently sloping rear roofline, and a spacious interior with an impressive headroom of 973 millimeters for passengers in the rear row. With a wheelbase of three meters, it has a boot capacity of 725 liters which can rise to 2,221 liters with the rear seats down.

All the variants come with an electric motor mounted on the rear wheel with 180 kW or 230 kW of peak output. It is powered by an affordable iron-based battery pack featuring 60.7 or 76.3 kilowatt-hour (kWh) capacity, achieving a driving range of 602 kilometers and 710 km, respectively.

The fives-seater boasts premium comfort for both driver and passengers, as all the seats can be heated and ventilated with massage options as standard. It also provides a folding table and an eight-inch infotainment screen for rear passengers.

The P7+ competes with rivals’ models such as the Tesla Model 3, Xiaomi’s SU7, and the BYD Han, which are priced from RMB 231,900 ($32,764), RMB 215,900 and RMB 165,800, respectively. Xpeng will reveal the pre-sale price of the car at the Paris Motor Show next Monday. A redesigned P7 went on sale last March at a price range between RMB 249,900 and RMB 339,900.Context: Xpeng is among the Chinese EV makers pivoting to self-driving technology that uses low-cost cameras, following the lead of Tesla, over the past two years. Its advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) will be able to work on all Chinese roadways in the fourth quarter of this year, providing users with “door-to-door” automated driving across the country, the company said in July.

Jill Shen is Shanghai-based technology reporter. She covers Chinese mobility, autonomous vehicles, and electric cars. Connect with her via e-mail: [email protected] or Twitter: @jill_shen_sh
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