Tesla outperformed Chinese automakers including BYD, Xiaomi and Huawei in a test of assisted driving systems on China’s highways, according to results released by Dcar, the auto unit of TikTok owner Bytedance.
The test, conducted with state broadcaster CCTV, evaluated Level 2 advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) from over 20 electric vehicle brands in various high-risk highway and urban traffic scenarios. Tesla’s Model 3 and Model X passed five out of six highway test scenarios, the highest score among 36 tested models.
BYD’s Denza Z9GT and Huawei-backed Aito M9 failed three scenarios each, while Xiaomi’s SU7 passed only one.
Videos of the tests were widely shared on Chinese social media.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on X that the company achieved top results in China without access to local training data due to restrictions on data export. Tesla has been seeking approval to transfer vehicle data stored in Shanghai to the United States to improve its AI algorithms.
The tests come amid rising concerns in China over assisted driving safety. A fatal accident in March involving a Xiaomi SU7 raised public attention. In response, authorities have banned promotional terms such as “smart driving” and “autonomous driving” for systems that still require driver oversight.
The public security ministry recently warned drivers of potential legal risks if they misuse ADAS technology. It said new legal frameworks are being developed to assign responsibility in such cases.
Tesla’s China-made EV sales rose 0.8% in June compared to a year earlier, ending an eight-month decline. But quarterly sales continue to fall as Chinese rivals offer cheaper alternatives.
Tesla charges about $9,000 for its assisted driving suite in China, while companies like BYD and Xiaomi offer similar features at no additional cost. Tesla’s system relies only on cameras and AI, while many Chinese automakers use lidar in addition to improve accuracy.
