Toyota is preparing to take on Tesla and its Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology, starting next year in China.
Reuters reports the Japanese car giant plans to launch the Bozhi 3X electric SUV – built as a part of its joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) – in 2025, with the model to feature advanced autonomous driving capabilities.
It’s unlikely to come to Australia though, as the Bozhi 3X – the joint venture version of the Toyota bZ3X – will be focused on kickstarting Toyota’s sliding sales in the Chinese market car.
Chinese market bZ3X
GAC Toyota claims that the autonomous driving system will offer advanced driving assistance on the highway, around town and in parking situations – akin to a high-end Level 2 system, such as Tesla’s controversial Full Self-Driving technology.
Technology company Momenta Global has partnered with Toyota to develop the system, after previous working with Mercedes-Benz on similar software.
A growing list of incidents involving self-driving technology have sparked debate about the safety of such systems for public roads.
Although self-driving vehicles aren’t currently legal on Australian roads, the Federal Government recently requested input from the public as it works on legislation to set safety and accountability standards for self-driving vehicles and their operators.
Automated vehicles may enter the Australian market as soon as 2026.
Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei is also working with Toyota on in-vehicle operating software with autonomous driving capability which will feature on a new electric sedan set for a China debut in 2025.
Toyota is investing in a multi-pathway product strategy including internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, hybrids and hydrogen-powered vehicles, as well as EVs.
The manufacturer plans to launch an iron phosphate lithium battery in the next two to three years, which could shave up to 40 percent off the production cost of its bZ4x electric SUV.
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