XPENG Demos AI Driving for UN Forum
Automaker XPENG demonstrated its real-world AI driving capabilities to global delegates at the UN World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations. The event, held in China, showcased the company's autonomous driving technology, sparking discussions around its capabilities and regulatory implications.
- The demonstration was for the UN's World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29), a body that develops global rules for automated driving systems; this was the first time the forum convened offline in China. - XPENG was the only Chinese electric vehicle maker to provide live demonstrations at the session, offering officials from the US, EU, Japan, and other major auto markets a ride in their vehicles. - The system showcased was the XNGP, or XPENG Navigation Guided Pilot, which is the company's advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) designed for both city and highway driving. - During the event, the company also presented its next-generation AI foundation for intelligent driving, called VLA 2.0 (Vision-Language-Action), which is designed to enable more human-like driving. - This technology is part of XPENG's larger roadmap which includes launching Robotaxi trials in China and mass-producing L4-level autonomous driving vehicles by 2026. - The company has been actively involved with the UN's regulatory discussions, participating in the Taskforce on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (TF ADAS) since 2023 and the Informal Working Group on Automated Driving Systems (IWG ADS) since 2025. - To power its autonomous systems, XPENG is developing its own AI chips, with its "Turing" chip designed to support L4 autonomous driving capabilities. - This push into AI-defined vehicles is a core part of the company's strategy, with plans to invest RMB 3.5 billion in AI-enabled smart driving in 2024 alone.
