Zeng Qinglin Clarifies Difference Between "ADAS Insurance" and "Safety Guarantee," Endorses BYD's City NOA Safety Commitment

On the early morning of May 29, Zeng Qinglin, General Manager of the Yijing automotive brand, posted online discussing safeguard measures related to advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). He mentioned that Huawei’s Qiankun Smart Driving was among the earliest in the industry to introduce a "smart driving insurance" solution, and some brands equipped with this system had previously offered one year of complimentary smart driving insurance. Initially, Zeng did not clearly distinguish between "smart driving insurance" and a "safety guarantee commitment," mistakenly interpreting BYD’s "safety guarantee commitment" as a similar type of insurance. Following ensuing controversy, he later issued a clarifying statement on Weibo. On May 30, Zeng posted again, stating that after consulting industry experts, he confirmed that "smart driving insurance" is a legally recognized insurance product regulated by relevant laws and regulations. In the event of an accident, third-party involvement and legal frameworks determine liability (e.g., whether the fault lies with the system or the driver), and compensation limits are clearly defined. For example, certain vehicles equipped with Qiankun Smart Driving that received complimentary smart driving insurance offer per-incident coverage caps of RMB 3 million or RMB 5 million for scenarios such as automated parking, urban NOA (Navigate on Autopilot), and highway NOA—not unlimited coverage as sometimes assumed. Zeng noted that BYD’s "safety guarantee commitment" model has broader scope, breaks from traditional approaches, and is uniquely innovative—a stance he expressed support for. Comments under his post indicated that his remarks specifically addressed BYD’s recently announced urban navigation safety guarantee policy. Previously, on the evening of May 28, BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu announced that following its earlier safety guarantee for intelligent parking, BYD would now extend a one-year safety guarantee for urban navigation ADAS features. Eligible new vehicle owners will receive full compensation from BYD for any economic losses their vehicle is liable for in traffic accidents caused by the ADAS, within one year from the date of vehicle delivery. This policy applies regardless of vehicle ownership transfer and does not require the vehicle to be operated exclusively by the original owner.