On January 16, 2024, BYD held its Dream Day event, which was historic since it revealed the Chinese automaker’s new approach to the intelligent development of electric vehicles, which it calls “whole vehicle intelligence.” This emphasis on technology indicates that the maker of NEVs is trying to catch up to Huawei’s tech-focused growth.
The event included a number of innovative innovations, such as the “Easy Four-way Parking” technology, a vehicle-mounted drone system, and the panoramic in-car satellite communication system on the future U8. Plans for the upcoming release of the U8 SUV and the U9 supercar, which Wang describes as state-of-the-art, were revealed by BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu.
Wang noted that the occasion, called “Dream Day,” was a reflection of BYD’s identity as a firm that was founded on dreams and emphasised the ongoing process of dreaming, pursuing, and realising dreams. “Build Your Dreams,” the English abbreviation for BYD, is consistent with the company’s forward-thinking philosophy.
Mr. Wang emphasised that BYD chose a different course by resolutely committed to independent research and development, in contrast to the current environment where many automakers are keen to work with Huawei for intelligent technologies. When he unveiled BYD’s “Engineer Dream Team,” a group of ten engineers who represent over 90,000 engineers throughout the organisation, on Dream Day, he emphasised this point.
Furthermore, BYD unveiled the Xuanji AI Model at the event, which is hailed as the first “dual-loop multimodal AI system” in the industry. Dream Day outlined BYD’s approach to developing intelligent vehicles, although it did not go into detail about particular application functionalities or situations. The emphasis on vertical integration and internal research highlights BYD’s dedication to its Xuanji vision.
In addition to its luxurious amenities, the flagship U8 was on display with new innovations including “Easy Four-way Parking,” which allowed for sophisticated manoeuvres in confined areas. Parking in tight spaces is made easier by the vehicle’s ability to spin around its inner front or rear wheels. Additionally, the U8 demonstrated an integrated drone system created in association with DJI. The drone is kept in a special compartment of the vehicle and can be automatically refuelled using the power source of the vehicle. The in-car satellite communication system, which guarantees connectivity even in isolated or outdoor places, was another feature highlighted.
The U9 sports car is expected to hit the market shortly after submitting an application for a sales licence in China. It has a 475 km range and a four-motor 4WD power train.
Dream Day at BYD follows a successful year for the company in terms of revenue. According to publicly available data, BYD sold 3.02 million new energy vehicles in 2023, a stunning rise of 62.3% over the previous year. The corporation solidified its position as the market leader in sales by not only meeting but surpassing its yearly sales target of 3 million vehicles. BYD’s 2023 export sales of 242,800 automobiles represented an astounding 334.2% rise.
