Tesla Faces Automated Driving Rival In Geely, Baidu EV

With the introduction of Jiyue 01, the first electric car from a joint venture between Geely and Baidu, Tesla is now up against competition in China's automated driving market. The SUV is moving towards a pure-vision strategy, utilising cameras to analyse the surroundings, and is outfitted with Baidu's Apollo platform.
The Jiyue 01, a car made by the Geely-Baidu Jiyue venture, is said to have a better handling and user interface than the Model Y from Tesla. But issues with safety and liability in the event of an accident in China's automated driving industry still need to be addressed.

“Tesla is a pioneer in the intelligent car and a leader in global sales,” Luo Gang, chief operating officer of the Geely-Baidu Jiyue venture, told reporters at a briefing.

“But from the perspective of handling and user interface, I think we’d win. Compared with the Model Y, which is the closest to our car, from the space, design, interiors, I personally think the Jiyue 01 is better.”

In the case of an accident, Chinese law does not yet specify who would be held legally liable—the driver or the assisted driving system. Geely-Baidu is among the cautious manufacturers who continue to use Level 2 technology, which requires human control at all times.

The numerous lawsuits Tesla is facing regarding its Autopilot feature underscore the necessity of precise rules and regulations in the field of automated driving.