Li Auto’s New Model Wins China ADAS Contest as Huawei-Backed Aito Falters
Li Auto’s new i8 model won a high-profile competition for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in China, while models backed by technology giant Huawei Technologies underperformed, signaling a potential shift in the competitive landscape for autonomous driving technology.
The results, announced on September 21 from the Jiaxing leg of the Second China Intelligent Driving Challenge, saw the Li Auto i8, in its first competitive outing, secure the top spot. The Han L sedan from BYD was a surprise runner-up, with the Zeekr 7X, from a Geely brand, placing third. The event tested the urban Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) capabilities of 17 different models from 16 brands.
In a significant upset, vehicles associated with Huawei’s well-regarded ADAS technology failed to make the top three. The Aito M7, a popular model jointly developed with Huawei, finished second to last. Other participating models featuring Huawei’s system, including the Luxeed S7 and Stelato S9, also did not rank among the leaders.
The outcome provides a fresh, real-world benchmark for investors and consumers evaluating China's crowded electric vehicle market. The strong debut for Li Auto’s latest system and an unexpectedly robust showing from BYD could reshape perceptions of technological leadership, while the disappointing results for Huawei-affiliated brands raise new questions about their systems' performance in complex, real-world conditions.
A Test of Real-World Urban Navigation
The competition, organized by automotive portal First Electric, was designed to rigorously evaluate ADAS performance in everyday urban environments. A record 17 vehicles participated, using publicly available software versions and operated by publicly recruited vehicle owners, adding to the authenticity of the test.
The 28-kilometer course in Jiaxing, a city in Zhejiang province, featured 49 traffic lights and six unannounced test points. These challenges included navigating narrow village roads with unpredictable obstacles, dense mixed-traffic market streets, construction zones requiring driving into oncoming lanes, U-turns, and complex commercial districts.
Mixed Results Across Challenging Scenarios
Performance varied significantly across the different test scenarios, highlighting specific strengths and weaknesses among the competitors. The first test point, a village road, proved difficult, with nearly half the vehicles requiring a manual takeover by the driver. In contrast, all but one of the 17 cars successfully navigated a bustling market street with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
A construction zone, which required vehicles to borrow an opposing lane to bypass obstacles, saw a surprisingly high success rate, with 13 cars passing without incident. However, a supposedly simple U-turn challenge caused issues for six vehicles. The most difficult scenarios were in commercial districts, where only the Yangwang U7, a premium BYD brand, completed one section without intervention. Many vehicles failed to even activate their NOA function in this complex, off-network environment.
A Shake-Up in the Rankings
The final results underscored a divergence between market reputation and demonstrated performance. Li Auto's i8 claimed victory in its first-ever public competition, a win celebrated by the organizers as the car "making its name in one battle." The runner-up position for the BYD Han L was hailed as the event’s biggest "dark horse" success.
The most notable underperformance came from the Huawei camp. The Aito M7 was the last vehicle to complete the course and was ranked 16th out of 17 participants. Meanwhile, the YU7 sedan from Xiaomi finished the course in the shortest time but required multiple driver interventions.
Post-Race Review Reveals Nuances
A post-race video review by the event judges revealed complexities not captured by the final rankings. The winning Li Auto i8 was found to have required a takeover for driving in the wrong direction and another for failing to recognize a closing barrier gate.
The judging panel also noted scoring discrepancies for several vehicles. The Avatr 11, a joint venture involving Huawei, was determined to have been unfairly penalized in sections where its NOA was partially functional. Similarly, reviews for the Xiaomi YU7 and BYD Han L led to reinterpretations of their takeovers and system failures, highlighting the inherent difficulties in objectively scoring the nuanced performance of competing ADAS technologies.