BYD’s stock surged to a record high on Wednesday following the announcement of its collaboration with AI firm DeepSeek earlier in the week.
The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, a key competitor to Tesla, revealed plans to introduce a new self-driving system across its entire range of vehicles, from budget-friendly to more premium models.
Speaking on Monday, BYD founder Wang Chuanfu stated that the company aims to make autonomous driving “less of a luxury and more of a commonplace safety feature.” This move marks a shift for BYD, which had previously been more cautious with autonomous driving technology compared to some of its competitors. The new self-driving system, named “God’s Eye,” will be available in cars starting at 69,800 yuan (€9,200).
BYD also announced plans to incorporate AI software from DeepSeek into at least some of its self-driving models. Industry experts suggest this AI could enhance voice command capabilities and improve the overall autonomous driving experience.
Competitors such as Geely, Great Wall Motor, and Stellantis, in collaboration with Leapmotor, are also looking to integrate DeepSeek’s systems into their vehicles. DeepSeek made waves earlier this year by launching an AI model that uses significantly less computing power compared to its US counterparts. This breakthrough led to controversy, with San Francisco-based OpenAI accusing the Chinese firm of data theft to train its models.
As more automakers move toward AI-driven features, one major challenge remains: safety regulation. Tesla, led by Elon Musk, is still awaiting approval from Beijing for its fully autonomous vehicles.
At 2:25 pm in China, BYD’s stock hit a new high of ¥346.83 (€45.61).
