Xpeng expands assisted driving tech coverage to Shanghai, something Tesla doesn’t offer in China

SHANGHAI — Chinese electric car company Xpeng announced Friday it will be rolling out its latest assisted driving software to users in the metropolis of Shanghai, something its U.S. rival Tesla does not offer in China.

Previously the technology was only available for Xpeng drivers in Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The company already offers assisted driving on highways in China.

The new tech, called XNGP, claims to make driving easier with software that assists with smooth braking at traffic lights, turning at intersections and other tasks on city streets.

U.S.-listed Xpeng lags major Chinese electric car startups in terms of recent monthly deliveries. But the company has tried to make its assisted driving technology a selling point for consumers.

"Tesla doesn't really pump Autopilot in China and they don't offer Full Self Driving (FSD) in China, whereas Xpeng really leaned into its NGP as a difference maker for the China market," said Tu Le, founder of Beijing-based advisory firm Sino Auto Insights.

Tesla's Autopilot assists with driving on highways, while FSD helps with braking at traffic lights and stop signs in urban areas.

Xpeng's head of autonomous driving and vice president Xinzhou Wu told reporters Friday he is a user of Tesla's FSD in the U.S.

He claimed that "many details" of Xpeng's product were on par with FSD. He and his team also emphasized how they were systematically testing the assisted driving software for forthcoming rollout in 100 Chinese cities.

The company said its tech can also assist with driving without using the high precision maps that are common in the industry. It was not immediately clear what the coverage of such tech was at present.

Xpeng is set to reveal a new car model at the Shanghai auto show in mid-April.