BYD Employs Over 5,000 in Intelligent Driving Team, Aiming to Pioneer Autonomous Driving Technology

“During a recent interview with Chinese media, Yang Dongsheng, the Vice President of BYD and the head of the New Automotive Technology Research Institute, revealed that BYD’s Intelligent Driving team now boasts over 5,000 members. This number significantly surpasses the industry average, with the core algorithm team alone consisting of more than 1,000 individuals.

Yang Dongsheng explained that BYD’s perspective on intelligent driving is unique compared to other automakers. While others focus on narrow-sense autonomous driving, particularly in urban environments, BYD is striving for a more comprehensive approach that combines narrow-sense autonomous driving with Xuanji architecture and electrification. This approach aims to deliver advanced driving assistance that surpasses human capabilities.

Yang also shared that, within two years, BYD’s mid-to-low-end models will be equipped with high-level intelligent driving technology. The company plans to identify the most popular high-level intelligent driving features through market research and then incorporate these into a comprehensive package for their mid-to-low-end models.

Currently, BYD’s system innovation team includes 15,000 members. The company’s R&D investment for 2023 reached a staggering 39.918 billion yuan, doubling its previous investment. Wang Chuanfu, BYD’s Chairman, has been particularly focused on intelligent driving, urging the design of the entire vehicle to be developed with this technology in mind.

BYD’s core battery R&D primarily involves cell design and PACK design, employing around 400 to 500 specialists in these areas. The Tengshi Research Institute, on the other hand, emphasizes performance to address safety issues.

Earlier, Zhang Zhuo, the General Manager of BYD Auto’s Ocean Network Sales Division, disclosed that BYD’s intelligent driving team already consists of thousands of members, with investments reaching into the billions. The engineering team dedicated to intelligent driving is nearing 5,000 members, with 3,000 of them being software engineers. The monthly payroll for this autonomous driving team alone is 1 billion yuan.

Looking to the future, Wang Chuanfu announced that the company plans to invest an impressive 100 billion yuan in intelligent driving technologies, with a focus on generative AI and large model R&D.

Addressing external skepticism, Wang Chuanfu stated that BYD has no intention of resorting to over-marketing or seeking short-term growth through massive traffic. He reaffirmed that the key to establishing a high-end brand lies in the strength of the product, which is rooted in technology and innovation.”

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