According to Reuters, Toyota Motor Corporation's joint venture with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC), GAC Toyota Motor Co., Ltd., has announced that Toyota plans to launch its first electric vehicle equipped with an advanced autonomous driving system in the Chinese market next year. This system is similar to Tesla's Full Self-Driving system.
GAC Toyota aims to regain Toyota's market share in China by catching up with Chinese competitors in hybrid, battery, and smart car technologies.
At an event held in Guangzhou last week, GAC Toyota announced a series of innovation goals. GAC Toyota stated that next year it will launch its first model equipped with an autonomous driving system: the Toyota bZ3X SUV. This vehicle will feature advanced driving assistance parking and navigation functions on highways and city roads. GAC Toyota claims this will establish Toyota's leading position in autonomous driving technology among all foreign brands in China.
GAC Toyota is collaborating with Chinese autonomous driving startup Momenta to develop the autonomous driving system. Momenta also develops autonomous driving software for automakers including Mercedes-Benz. Additionally, GAC Toyota is partnering with Huawei to launch the first electric sedan equipped with Huawei's in-car operating software in China starting in 2025. GAC Toyota also announced plans to introduce lithium iron phosphate batteries between 2026 and 2027, which will reduce the production cost of its bZ4X electric vehicle by 40%.
According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, Toyota's sales in China ranked fifth among all brands in the first four months of this year, down 22% compared to the same period last year.
