Photo Credit: iStockWhat if turning on an assisted-driving feature came with something drivers rarely hear from automakers: If the system causes an at-fault crash, the company will pay?According to Electrek, BYD has now made that promise in China, a move that could reshape how consumers think about liability, trust, and the real value of driver-assistance technology.At a May 28 vehicle intelligence strategy event, BYD said it would cover the costs of at-fault crashes when its God's Eye urban "navigate-on-autopilot" feature is used in compliance with regulations.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe policy covers direct economic losses assigned to the vehicle, including repairs to the owner's car, damage to third-party property, and personal injury.BYD also said there is no payout cap, drivers do not need a separate intelligent-driving insurance product, and a claim under the program will not raise their commercial insurance premium the following year.The guarantee covers BYD's God's Eye A and B systems for one year after delivery. Current owners can qualify for the coverage after an over-the-air update to God's Eye 5.0, and BYD said it is not limited to the first or registered owner.The pledge builds on an earlier BYD guarantee tied to L4 smart parking. BYD said that the earlier promise raised the feature's usage rate from 21% to 93%.AdvertisementAdvertisement"Taking on Level 3 and Level 4 liability early during the Level 2 stage demonstrates the company's absolute confidence in its own technology," BYD chairman and president Wang Chuanfu said, per Electrek.BYD's approach differs sharply from Tesla's. Tesla has not offered the same kind of broad liability commitment for its Full Self-Driving technology.Tesla's owner's manual for "Full Self-Driving (Supervised)" states: "You are responsible for the speed and control of your vehicle at all times, whether FSD (Supervised) is enabled or not."Tesla customers can still face financial and legal consequences from a crash, even when the system is active.AdvertisementAdvertisementA federal jury in Miami awarded $243 million in a case over a fatal Autopilot crash and assigned one-third of the blame to Tesla.BYD's LiDAR-equipped God's Eye B system is priced at 12,000 yuan, or about $1,770, while Tesla's comparable system in China costs 64,000 yuan, or about $9,400 — without a similar liability guarantee.BYD appears to be using the guarantee not only as a consumer-protection measure but also to encourage broader adoption of its assisted-driving features.BYD said it now has 3.15 million vehicles with assisted-driving capability on the road, generating up to 200 million kilometers of driving data each day.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe program is limited to China, depends on the feature being used in compliance, and lasts for one year. The system also remains classified as Level 2, meaning drivers must stay attentive at all times.Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
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