Electric vehicle maker BYD has announced new shock absorption technology that will be a feature of a new premium brand.
The China-based company, backed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, claims it has reached a breakthrough for stabilizing car rides through rugged terrain, sharp turns and even shallow water. The tech is expected to be available on the company’s recently-launched Yangwang line of vehicles.
Specifically, the shock absorption tech relies in part on the same Lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors that are used in assisted driving, the company said. The sensors work by creating detailed maps of a car’s surroundings.
Ahead of the Shanghai Auto Show next week, BYD founder Wang Chuanfu said the technology “leads and surpasses foreign technological level,” according to a CNBC translation.
That could have been a veiled shot at Tesla, which recalled more than 360,000 cars in February over assisted-driving software for city streets that it said may cause crashes.
Tesla is also expanding in China. CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter Sunday that the company will build a factory in Shanghai that will target the assembly of 10,000 giant batteries yearly for electric producers and distributors.
The batteries, known as Megapacks, are about the length and height of an international shipping container and can power 3,600 homes for one hour, according to Tesla.
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