Tesla Outpaces Chinese Rivals in Highway Driver-Assist Tech Testing
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Tesla Outpaces Chinese Rivals in Highway Driver-Assist Tech Testing

Tesla has come out on top in a high-profile series of tests evaluating advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on Chinese highways, beating out major domestic contenders including BYD, Xiaomi, and Huawei-led HIMA, according to results published by Dcar, the automotive outlet run by ByteDance.

The joint test—conducted by state broadcaster CCTV and Dcar—assessed Level 2 driving systems across more than 20 electric vehicle (EV) brands. Simulating a range of hazardous scenarios both on highways and in urban settings, the results have ignited intense debate on Chinese social media platforms where Dcar’s test videos have quickly gone viral.

Tesla’s Model 3 and Model X vehicles emerged as top performers, passing five out of six highway-focused evaluations. In contrast, BYD’s Denza Z9GT and HIMA’s Aito M9 each passed just three, while Xiaomi’s highly anticipated SU7 managed only one successful test.

Chinese authorities have taken note. “Chinese brands must admit to themselves that Tesla has an advantage in automated driving,” said Wang Yao, deputy chief engineer at the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, during an auto forum in Shanghai. “Tesla has led trends in the industry so far, and we will learn from them in the future as well,” added Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, citing a recent showcase in which a Tesla Model Y autonomously navigated from the company’s factory in Austin to a customer’s home—an estimated 30-minute drive.

Despite its success, Tesla faces major regulatory challenges in China. Elon Musk, writing on X (formerly Twitter), stated that “Tesla has achieved the best results in China despite laws prohibiting the inclusion of Chinese data in its algorithms.” The company remains hampered by Washington’s ban on training Tesla’s AI systems in China, while local regulators have so far refused to allow data collected in Shanghai to be transferred to the U.S. for algorithmic refinement.

Mounting Public and Regulatory Scrutiny in China

The ADAS spotlight comes at a time of growing skepticism among the Chinese public. A tragic crash involving a Xiaomi SU7 that killed three people on a highway has raised alarms over how these semi-autonomous systems are marketed and understood. State media blamed misleading promotional claims for the misuse of the technology, prompting a swift response from regulators.

Authorities have now banned EV makers from using marketing terms such as “smart driving” and “autonomous driving,” emphasizing that current systems still require full driver attention. The Ministry of Public Safety warned that legal liabilities will increasingly fall on drivers if they disengage from the road while such systems are active.

“The technology is not yet fully autonomous. Drivers remain responsible for their vehicles at all times,” the ministry stated, pledging new legal frameworks to clarify responsibility in the event of system-related crashes.

Meanwhile, Huawei-led HIMA dismissed the recent test results, saying it did not wish to comment on the “so-called test.” Neither BYD nor Xiaomi has responded to media inquiries regarding the evaluations.

The Road Ahead

While Tesla’s strong showing underscores its technical edge in automated driving, its regulatory constraints in China remain a significant hurdle. For domestic automakers, the results serve as a sobering reminder of the gap that still exists in ADAS performance—and the steep road ahead to win both consumer trust and global relevance in autonomous mobility.

Source: CCTV