Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said at the event, which was broadcast live, that his company has already brought 140 vehicles with advanced autonomous driving technology to the roads in China. 500 employees are involved in the development of self-driving cars, and the investment in this initiative has reached 3.3 billion yuan ($490 million).
Recently, a car was photographed in China with "Xiaomi Self-driving Test" written on it and lidars on the roof to guide the traffic situation. Xiaomi has chosen a third-party car manufacturer to test the autopilot technology, but the company itself is also moving towards becoming not only technological, but also automotive.
Xiaomi has officially announced the development of its own electric vehicles in 2021. Earlier this year, the company began building its first car plant in Beijing. At the initial stage, 150,000 cars a year will be produced there, and when the enterprise reaches its design capacity, 300,000 cars a year will roll off the assembly line.
Xiaomi's first mass-produced machine should appear in 2024. The small A+ electric car will be priced between 150,000 and 200,000 yuan ($22,200 to $29,600) and will receive an entry-level driving assistance system. Later, B-class cars will appear with prices ranging from 200,000 to 300,000 yuan ($29,600 to $44,400) with autopilot.