BYD adds smart driving features at no extra cost

BYD has opened a new front in China’s electric vehicle price war, announcing that it will add smart driver-assistance features to most of its models at no extra cost, sending its shares to a record high.

According to Bloomberg, the company said it will make its “God’s Eye” system, which relies on cameras and radar sensors to assist the driver with features such as self-parking, adaptive driving and automatic braking, a standard feature on cars starting at $13,700 and also include it on several lower-cost models such as the Seagull hatchback, an unprecedented move in the industry.

While assisted driving is one of the main battlegrounds among automakers in China, vehicles offering similar features from rivals typically sell for more than 150,000 yuan.