XPeng Begins Phasing Out HD Maps for Tesla FSD-Style Feature in China

XPeng is increasingly recognized as a formidable competitor to Tesla in the realm of electric vehicles, notably for its efforts to incorporate advanced driving capabilities. The company is making significant strides toward closing the gap with Tesla by removing high-definition mapping from its XNGP assisted driving system, which serves as its counterpart to Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature.

Tesla's FSD is well-known for its departure from reliance on HD maps, which provide detailed information such as lane markings, curbs, and traffic signs. Instead, Tesla utilizes a combination of sensors, including radars and cameras, to enhance its vehicles' understanding of their surroundings, thereby improving safety during autonomous driving.

While Tesla has chosen to eliminate HD maps, it has also controversially discarded lidars—an essential sensing technology commonly used in the development of self-driving cars. In contrast, XPeng continues to utilize lidars but is embracing a bold technical advancement by launching a map-free version of its XNGP system in 20 cities across China. This transition, announced during the company’s recent tech day, enables XPeng's urban assisted driving functionality to operate without the constraints of predefined maps or real-time road condition updates. By the end of this year, XPeng plans to expand its map-free XNGP to 50 cities in China.

This development comes at a pivotal moment for XPeng, especially following the departure of its former head of autonomous driving to Nvidia. The company is transitioning into a new phase of technological growth. Additionally, other autonomous vehicle teams in China are also striving to eliminate the costly dependency on HD maps. For instance, Deeproute, which has shifted its focus from developing robotaxis to enhancing assisted driving for mass-market vehicles, introduced its own map-free autonomous driving solution in March.

This dynamic landscape of innovation in China highlights the competitive race among companies to redefine the future of autonomous transportation.