Self-parking cars have been a thing for a while now, but Chinese company BYD is taking steps to protect its owners when something goes wrong. The automaker recently said that it would cover the costs of fender benders as it introduces more advanced smart parking features.
BYD said that it would update its God’s Eye autonomous tech (ominous, much?) to offer “Level 4 Smart Parking” features. As part of the upgrade, the automaker will pay for any accidents while the system is active, no questions asked.
In a post on social media site Weibo, the company said, “BYD has made a key breakthrough in the smart parking scenario, and is the first in the world to achieve smart parking comparable to L4 level, and promises: In the Chinese market, BYD will fully cover the safety and losses of all [God’s Eye] vehicle users in smart parking scenarios.”
BYD will only cover the accidents when the God’s Eye system is active, and isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card for any reckless activity its drivers can cook up behind the wheel. That said, the parking functions are pretty advanced, including auto-folding side mirrors to avoid obstacles in tight spots.
Traffic accidents likely work a little differently in China than in the U.S., but avoiding the hassle of insurance is likely a universal benefit. BYD said owners it reimburses will not see increased insurance premiums the next year and noted that backing its owners shows its confidence in the God’s Eye system.
[Images: BYD]
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