Xpeng’s VLA proves that the future of driving lies in "common sense" AI rather than just rigid rules, successfully turning Beijing’s traffic chaos into a benchmark for intelligence. It is a sophisticated leap from simple obstacle detection to genuine situational reasoning.
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Xpeng VLA Full Test Drive in BeijingAdded:
Is it >> exactly? It's a red circle line.
>> Jeez, it's pretty aggressive.
>> Whoa. Okay, I was by my I was pretty close to press on the on the brake there. I was this close.
This this is our the the test driver routine and it's less than 20 kilometers and approximately takes 35 minutes to 40 minutes depends on the traffic >> of course.
>> So uh yep we ready to go. Uh we have to manually uh exit the parking lot and uh due to the regulation we cannot uh leave the steering wheel and we have to touch the steering wheel. Can I can I over over it like that just for >> sever several seconds is fine. It's less than 10 seconds. Yeah.
>> So it does it detect torque or detect you detect actual >> hands on the wheels?
>> Yeah. Uh the the I think the sensor is in the uh the interior side for for the >> Okay. So so I I can just have my hands on the wheel. I don't have to put torque on.
>> Yeah. So uh and yeah, I think that's that's okay. And we ready to go. We go left.
>> Left.
>> Yep.
>> It's my first time in the P7, too.
>> Okay. Have you tried another model of >> uh Mona? I've driven the Mona Maxima.
>> Okay.
>> And I've driven a few few cars in Fiji.
>> Okay.
Is this the first time you come to China?
>> Sorry.
>> Is this the first time you come to China?
>> No. Uh third time. Third time.
>> Okay. Okay.
>> Second time in Beijing.
Have you visited the the expon headquarters?
>> What's the that one? Yep.
>> Uh yeah, I did it.
>> Okay.
>> On the left here.
>> Uh right. Right.
>> Right over there.
And we go straight. We exit the parking lot and and we can turn on the the GP.
>> Okay.
A little little traffic.
>> You've been doing this all day >> for like already a week.
>> A week?
>> Yeah. No way. Any issue so far?
>> No, no, no. I think this is routine is is more easily than the the oneway test drive in Gujarders.
>> Yeah, I've heard so.
>> I did I did try the VA on this guy see me?
>> Um >> um okay.
>> Uh it was scary.
>> I did try the VA 2.0 I know before it was launched last year in November, we did a quick like parking lot to parking lot in Punjab and it was working pretty well.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Do we have to do anything to get out or >> uh we just wait? I think the barrel will automatically open.
Yeah. Yeah, we can go turning right. Yeah.
And now >> we can um double click the the the shifting >> towards me.
>> Um no downshift.
>> Okay, it's turned on.
>> That is turned on as well. We have the blue light means the the the self-driving mode.
>> Oh, we have that tune behind us that tells Oh, that's cool. So there's an actual indicator that's telling us that uh that the the vehicle is driving itself under the driver's supervision.
>> Y >> okay actually we have the four the the little blue line one is in the in the mirror.
>> Oh >> yeah for each side.
>> Okay. You see it from the front.
>> Okay. Okay.
So, does the system track also my eyes to make sure I'm looking at the road or >> Yeah, the camera is over there. Uh there that way. Uh >> oh, this this this >> and so if I'm I start like looking at the screen for too long, I'm going to get an alert or something. So now does it Oh. Oh, even did you even have the what you call these like tuk tuk we call them? But >> um maybe they're just just scooters.
>> It's it's nonstandard vehicle. I I I don't know the the the word for English.
>> Mhm.
There's active side support on these things when you turn. I was we were turning very fast to be there, but I still felt it.
>> So the P7 is is more like the the sporty version. So it has it.
Yep.
I think we overtake this one.
>> Well, this one is not driving itself right now, right?
>> Oh, yeah. Yeah. On the side on the line.
I guess so. Yeah.
>> And we detect this line is have high efficiency for for the traffic. So, we just take this line. Mhm.
>> Is that just visual or or >> map data also tell you?
>> Mostly on visual >> visual. Okay.
Is the FSD available in Canada right now? The latest >> FSD for Tesla? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I have it in my car. I have the um V14.
>> So that's you you can compare.
>> Yeah. Yeah. That's what that's what I'm doing right now in my head. I'm like Well, also different environments too.
So it's uh it's harder it's harder to tell. I know I know that some people here were uh given like sidebyside ride between the VA and and FSD but FSD I think here is just the 13 that uh they have.
>> Yeah.
>> So it's a little bit I got a pretty big gap between uh >> 3 and 48. Yeah.
>> Okay. Okay.
>> I saw a lot of videos talk about FSD latest version.
>> That's that's pretty good.
>> Yeah. The latest is very impressive. I mean it's it's not >> it's still you still need pay attention but uh >> Mhm.
>> my intervention are like once every 100 >> 200 kilometers I would say.
>> Okay.
>> So I use it daily enjoy it very much.
>> So is that legal in Canada to use that?
>> Yeah but we we don't have like the same laws as like Tesla just gets around everything just saying it's it's level two. So you just the driver is always responsible.
>> Okay. So as long as the driver is responsible is like you can use for them it's like using cruise control for example.
>> Okay.
>> So it's it's classified the same way.
>> So fair enough.
>> Okay. I know I know in China you guys are a little bit more serious with that like you need to have the actual system approved but is there is there like modes just like FSD where you have like more aggressive or slower mode?
>> Uh it does but it's only in highway.
>> On the highway.
>> Yeah. Uh it's like the over the changing line mode is is standard. It's it's just here standard. You can we can change to uh aggressive.
>> Okay.
>> And then just but it's on the urban urban road >> doesn't change much.
>> And then I see the max speed here. So that's is that something that I can change for example if uh >> Yep. Yeah. But >> is it a scroll like like Tesla?
>> Yeah. The the we can only allow 10% to over the >> over the speed limit. Okay. So, like right now the speed limit is 70 and like I'm I'm over. Okay.
So now it has a couple of right uh lane change.
>> Did one successfully the other one it needs to be a little bit more aggressive. Oh, well done.
That >> was last minute. Well done.
>> Wow. All right.
>> You see that's one of the thing where I struggle with FSD with Tesla. like see it needs to if there's multiple lane it needs to get to that lane faster to to turn around and sometimes it will uh oh I can still pass this guy on the left but I need to take the right turn next.
>> Okay.
>> So that sometimes I I disengage because of that.
>> Um but this one did pretty beautifully.
>> Yeah. This one is like supernatural.
>> Mhm.
Yeah. Sometimes too when you do a left turn like that, it will take the other lane rather than the left lane too.
>> Especially when when you do a Uturn on the left, uh the car will go right a little bit to to require more space to to make the Uturn.
>> You don't have to reverse and then turn it again.
>> Like this was what kind of a weird intersection that we it split up like it found the right one. Well, now Yodra Is it?
>> It's okay. It's a red circle line.
>> Jeez. Pretty aggressive. Whoa. Okay. I was my my I was pretty close to press on the on the brake there. I was this close.
>> But don't worry, it's okay.
>> But I've driven in Beijing before. I know that people are pretty aggressive the way they drive here. But >> so the What was the uh the the red light thing? The the fact that we you could still go.
>> Uh if the red light shows like a uh like a circle, it's is okay to turn right.
Okay.
>> Uh but if the arrow light like the the the things the arrow to the left or right, we we cannot we have to stop.
>> So >> So you're allowed to take a right on a on a red light as long as there's no >> arrow light telling you that you can.
Yeah, look at it.
>> In um in Canada, you can do that. Not in every city. Some cities don't allow it.
>> You you can do it, but sometimes you're going to have a sign like the that no sign. You're going to have that below that tell you you cannot do it.
So here it doesn't want to pass.
>> Yep. I think because we turn right coming up. Yeah.
that does the Xan has the dealership in Canada right now?
>> No, not yet. We just we had 100% tariffs uh in on Chinese America.
>> Yeah, but we just uh made a deal with China a few months ago.
>> Mhm. And now they're going to remove the tariffs for the first 50,000 vehicles.
>> Okay.
>> Um and going up to the next four years.
So a bunch of Chinese automakers right now are are trying to make deals uh to get some of that capacity for them. I don't know if I don't think I'm not sure if Xang is already um >> uh Oh, you have data on when the the lights going to turn? We have to come down.
>> Yeah. Um, I'm not sure that XPang is among the the first one that are are looking to get in, but I know like BYD for sure.
>> Yeah, Gil, they're already on it.
>> But there's also uh you need if you're going to get part of the quota, you need a certain number of your cars that are uh under $35,000 Canadian, which is like 25,000 USD. So I don't don't think that by Xfang is that other than the Mona maybe doesn't have that many vehicles are going to be cheap enough to to to get that location.
>> I believe we can do that.
>> Yeah.
>> Because nowadays the Chinese market the competition is like >> it's insane, huh?
>> It's insane. Wow.
>> Yeah.
Every car has this bigger capacity of the batteries, the navigation, the tech, everything, the moon, the >> the designs, you have a lot of variety of designs >> getting cheaper and cheaper.
>> Yeah. No, I mean the the the west every time I like my my publication in mainly in the US and Canada and a little bit Europe and every time we talk about the Chinese EVs like people they just especially in the US where they don't have access to them at all.
>> They their mind are blown like really it's like that's that's a thing that's available.
>> Yeah. Cuz like China right now you at 50% uh electric vehicles or or hybrid plugins >> keep growing I think because the fossil fuel price all the of the f the gas is is >> getting up is going up.
>> But the US right now is like at 8%.
>> 8%.
>> Wow.
>> And it's a it's a rich market too. They have a lot of money. Like the average car price is like $50,000.
>> Uh and they just they don't buy EVs.
There's still a lot of uh uh just sentiment against EVs in the in the US.
>> Yeah, that 8% mean mostly it's Tesla, right?
>> Uh yeah, Tesla is like over 50% of that or that of that 8%. Yeah.
And also most of that is in California.
So the rest of the country is like is even lower than that.
>> Well, why why is in California? Because the the the energy is cheap.
>> No, it's not even that cheap. It's pretty expensive. But they uh they um they had regulations there that that force automakers to sell more EVs there and on top of it they had incentives. So they they they was you know for a while there was a federal incentive to buy EVs but California as a state also put more on top of it. So okay >> they were a lot more affordable >> but now the federal incentive is gone.
So that sales w went down overall.
>> Okay.
Okay. But but some automakers even only sold their EVs in California. So if you went for example at a like um Toyota dealership >> like they would only sell their EVs in California and not in other states >> because of the regulation back back then.
>> But they only sell in California but we can we can use the car around.
>> Oh yeah, you can you can go anywhere with it. But they wouldn't try to sell them anywhere else.
>> Okay. Okay.
That's interesting.
>> Mhm.
>> In in Canada, we're closer to like 25% EVs, not for new car sales. It goes up and down because we also had incentive going in and out. So when the incentive are there, the the sales are up and when they they go get away sales are down a bit.
>> Okay. So is people in Canada um like trust the the uh AI driving systems or they prefer to drive it manually?
>> Uh there's there's less competition than in China. So there's it's mainly Tesla that has the the FSD uh >> so again they can go turn right.
>> Oh and then there was the bike there.
That's pretty good. Yes. It's it's mainly Tesla that has the FSD. There's also GM that has super cruise, but it's not uh it's only on the highways. It's not on this.
>> Does it detect signal signal?
>> Yeah.
>> And the train is coming.
>> Guess that's >> I think another way. Yeah. We entering a small village.
>> Mhm.
The app also tell you when there's cameras around too.
>> Yep.
>> Speed limits.
Um, sometimes the the NGPU will a little bit over the speed limits as long as there is no camera.
>> Oh, if there's cameras, it will slow down for them too.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. That's a funny thing about China because there's cameras everywhere, >> but also there's systems that are there to avoid them >> if you need to.
>> I was talking to a colleague who's based in Macau and drives often in China and he was like, "Oh, yeah. I go 150 on the highway because I know when the camera is there. When the camera is there so >> but I think that is is off the record.
We cannot say that the camera on >> a little bit interesting because the people are training the the NGP is driving more likely like a high experienced human driver.
When we drive the cars, if there is no camera, we not like very respect the line. As long as it's safe, we we just run past >> the the cars sometimes. Sometimes >> Mhm.
and >> this is just camera based too, right?
Camera based no radar, no light or antenna.
>> No, >> just vision.
>> Do you know how many cameras around?
>> Uh, six is nine. Nine.
>> Nine cameras. Yeah.
It's useful to have the data on the on the lights cuz I saw that the the line turned green too and then so it knew that it was about to turn uh green. So it's like a just I'm just going to keep going there.
>> Yeah, >> it's very useful information for auto to meet the system.
>> Yeah, the map is connecting the the traffic systems to and they know every countdown >> the traffic.
So, one thing that's different with Canada, too, is like something like that, like when when the light is red, we even though we're allowed to turn right, >> which stops.
>> Yeah. You do a stop first. You don't you don't go straight.
>> I don't think that's the problem with this cuz cuz the the guy did the exact same thing, right? So, it's definitely not an automated problem, but >> because we I think we have too many traffic.
>> Yeah, it would slow down traffic too much.
Like I said, the scooter is coming every direction.
>> Yeah, >> it's going a little bit too left. It's okay.
Oh, was that a oneway?
>> Uh, I don't think so.
>> No.
>> What's wrong with this one?
>> Yeah.
>> We decide to overtake.
>> So, this one is not self-driving right now. Mhm.
Yeah. Looks like it's going too slow and it wants to overtake it, but it can't.
>> Yeah, >> but this one is also is self driving right now.
>> Um, not right now. The the light is turned off.
>> Okay.
>> I think the the drivers.
>> But I saw I saw the lights on the mirrors on the side though.
>> Well, maybe not now, but a second ago.
>> Yeah.
Was it telling you to take over or because I didn't do anything?
>> Just just reminding you maybe uh a emergency break.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah, it will take. Prepare for that.
>> Yeah, cuz I I felt like it was see decelerating enough for the car to >> Y.
I think that that that driver is is not confident.
>> No.
>> Do you had a lot of people take over when they didn't need to this week?
>> Yeah.
>> Cuz that that happens a lot too.
>> A lot.
Yeah, you can see because I'm right in the middle of the line and he's hugging the the right lane there.
Yeah, maybe they they gave up completely. They're like, "No, I'm not doing it anymore." They they didn't like press it back.
Oh, it turn another shot.
You can see now he's driving straight in the middle.
So, so far compared to the FSD, uh it's pretty much the same so far. Like I more aggressive uh for for sure like what we saw earlier on the on the right turn on the red. But uh >> so they they stopped it again. I didn't do anything. They stopped it again.
Yeah, >> I need to turn it back on >> again.
>> I think they're not really letting >> it trying to do its thing.
>> No, very trusted car.
>> Yeah.
So, is the electric electricity price uh cheap in Canada or >> in Quebec where I'm from, which the western the eastern part of Canada, it's very cheap. It's a >> very cheap.
>> It's uh >> it's based on the solar power >> hydro hydro everywhere. Hydroelect electric jam. Yeah.
>> Hydro.
>> So, how cheap is that?
>> It's like um 7 cents US per kowatt hour.
>> Okay. It it's it's similar to China basically.
>> Okay. Because in China it's almost free.
>> Yeah.
>> It's a red.
>> It wasn't wasn't there yesterday.
>> The corn you think it's going to get around it?
>> Yeah, it should. It will.
>> Yeah.
>> I just don't know which side. The last time is it's left side >> cuz there's people on the right, too.
So, that's an interesting situation. But it does definitely see the cone. So >> yeah.
>> Okay. That's gonna be interesting.
>> Maybe it should put its flasher on them.
>> Or they're not going to let me.
>> I don't know. I don't know.
>> So we can let the car to decide.
>> Yeah. We'll see.
Ah, >> it takes.
>> Yeah, they don't want.
>> Why?
>> But it's really taking its Wow. The other guy went the other audition.
>> Yeah.
>> But it worked.
>> It worked.
>> In China, it's more like a first come, first serve.
>> Yeah.
>> So, everybody everybody's in a rush.
Yeah. The last time I was there, I was um filming a documentary about hudging vehicles and I was driving around and I had my my crew with me that my film crew was a Chinese film crew local from from >> Beijing.
>> And uh I was driving was my first time driving around and you know sometimes I had like to I would there would be a long line of traffic >> and I would have to cut through people to to get there and I I I didn't feel comfortable cutting through at all. And my my um producer Edward was like, "No, no, Fred, you have to go. Just we were going to be there all day if you don't go." It's just but I'm cutting like six people there. He's like, "No, go.
>> No worries." That's that's normal.
Super. No worries.
>> So I'm like, "Sorry, sorry." Then just cut.
>> So normally we think if you have the ability to cut another people's in the spot, >> it's your spot.
>> Yeah.
>> Give them a little space. That's nice.
Okay.
Well, so far it's u I would say on par with V14. Uh my experience an aggressive version of V14.
>> Mhm.
>> Well, now it's a little bit uh slow like now it's like so it should be 70 here.
Now it's running at 40.
>> Yep.
>> So that's they uh they don't want to go faster.
>> I'm not sure if it's because it's camera.
Well, it's if it's 70, you should be able to.
>> If I press on the accelerator, will accelerate without disconnecting. Yeah.
Can I do that?
>> If you press the throttle, it's going to the co-pilot mode.
>> Okay.
>> Well, no, it's not worth it. Maybe it knew that it was not worth it.
Do you work for Xplain or for the the >> only for part time?
>> Part time.
>> We work for several brands.
>> Mhm.
>> Doing these drive events. Mhm. Yeah.
And you're based in Beijing?
>> No, Guangjo.
>> Guanghou, right?
>> Yeah.
>> What other automakers are in Guangjou?
>> Uh, I think the GC >> GAC.
>> Yeah. Uh, BYD is >> Well, Shenzhen right next to it. Yeah, that's right.
>> Uh, think another It's pretty good at skipping traffic, too.
So, we just found the other guy like it was driving manually again.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Number seven.
Yeah, we almost approaching the hotel.
>> Yeah. Mhm.
>> So once we arrive at the parking lot, I I take over again.
>> Yep. Before the we entering the parking lot. Okay.
>> So that's the private area for the hotel.
>> Is that is that due to regulation? Cuz um when when the VL2 was not released yet uh we went parking to parking. I think the parking to parking is like the you own the parking space all the I I don't think the the the public parking space is allowed to use the point to point Have you seen the auto yet?
>> Yeah, I was there today.
>> Okay.
>> Oh, doesn't want to go.
>> Oh, because of that. Okay.
All right. I couldn't even see them because of the camera though.
So that's a good thing the car started cuz I can see that the angle was perfect with the hidden with the camera.
>> Yeah, the show is crazy. So big.
>> I think every brand are launching the new car for the Chinese market.
>> Yeah. The way I like this there's two side there's like two sets of halls.
way.
>> It's like the two biggest shows that auto shows have ever been combined together. It's just it's so massive.
>> Yeah.
>> It was overwhelming.
>> So many people.
>> Yeah. Oh yeah.
>> So it's like do do you have like seeing the people man people see? Do you know?
I think it's Chinese >> to describe how how many people.
>> Yeah.
>> I was there just for like two hours. I got to to walk around and I did like maybe 10% of the show and tomorrow I'm going to try to spend more time there and see some new cars >> cuz for me even though >> like you know there's maybe like a few dozen new cars that are being launched.
>> There's hundreds of cars that I've never seen before cuz we don't we don't have them outside of China. So >> there's even brands that I've never even heard of. That's ironic.
the same situation. We don't even know how how many brands the Chinese brands are here in China.
>> Yeah, there's too many.
>> And nowadays, we cannot recognize every car in in the road in public road. It's just like, what the hell is that?
>> Mhm.
>> So, to take over, do I do I use this or >> just hit a brake?
>> Just the Okay, tap the brake. Yeah.
>> Yeah. After the the traffic light, we can take over.
>> Yep.
>> I go right there. Uh here's the exit.
The dance.
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