To compare Tesla Self Driving with BYD Assisted Driving, let’s break it down into three parts: (1) comparing Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) with BYD’s “God’s Eye” assisted driving system, (2) detailing the level of assistance provided by BYD’s system, and (3) comparing BYD’s features to traditional cruise control in pre-electric cars. We will draw on available information, including recent analyses of both systems, to provide a clear and concise comparison.
1. Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” vs. BYD’s “God’s Eye” Assisted Driving
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) and BYD’s God’s Eye are both advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), but their naming and capabilities reflect different approaches:
- Tesla’s FSD (Supervised): Tesla’s FSD is classified as a SAE Level 2+ system, meaning it provides advanced driver assistance but requires constant driver supervision. FSD uses a vision-based system (Tesla Vision) relying on cameras and neural networks, having phased out radar and ultrasonic sensors. It offers features like Navigate on Autopilot (NOA), which handles lane changes, highway navigation, and some urban driving tasks (e.g., stopping at traffic lights, making turns). However, it’s not fully autonomous, and drivers must keep their hands on the wheel and remain ready to intervene. In China, Tesla’s FSD is not yet fully approved, but it has started rolling out limited features like lane changes and traffic signal recognition. Tesla’s FSD costs $8,000 as a one-time purchase or $99/month in the US, a premium not included in the base vehicle price.
- BYD’s God’s Eye: BYD’s system, introduced in 2023 and expanded in 2025, is also SAE Level 2+ for its A and B variants, with the C variant being a slightly less capable Level 2+ system. Unlike Tesla, BYD includes God’s Eye at no extra cost across its lineup, even on models as affordable as the $9,555 Seagull. God’s Eye uses a multimodal approach, combining cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and, in higher tiers (A and B), LiDAR for enhanced perception. It’s integrated with BYD’s DiPilot system and DeepSeek AI, offering features like highway and city NOA, valet parking, adaptive cruising, and automated braking. The system’s name, “God’s Eye,” has drawn criticism for potentially implying greater capability than it delivers, similar to Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” moniker.
Key Difference in Naming and Philosophy:
- Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” suggests a future path toward autonomy (Level 4 or 5), though it’s currently Level 2+. The name has been criticized for overstating capabilities, as it still requires human oversight.
- BYD’s “God’s Eye” is marketed as “assisted driving,” emphasizing driver support rather than autonomy. BYD positions it as a standard safety feature, akin to seatbelts or airbags, and makes it accessible by including it for free across its lineup.
- Both systems are Level 2+, requiring driver supervision, but BYD’s use of LiDAR and radar in addition to cameras may provide a more robust sensor suite, potentially improving reliability in complex environments. However, some analysts argue Tesla’s vision-only approach, while harder to develop, could scale better long-term with software improvements.
2. Level of Assistance Provided by BYD’s God’s Eye
BYD’s God’s Eye system comes in three tiers (A, B, and C), each offering different levels of capability, but all are included at no extra cost:
- God’s Eye C (DiPilot 100): The entry-level system, standard on affordable models like the Seagull and Dolphin (priced as low as $9,555).
- Features:
- Highway Navigate on Autopilot (NOA): Handles steering, speed control, and lane-keeping on divided highways, but drivers must keep hands on the wheel and remain vigilant.
- Valet Parking: Can autonomously park in tight spaces with 2 cm accuracy, using 12 cameras, 5 mm-wave radars, and 12 ultrasonic radars (1 cm accuracy).
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): Maintains a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, adjusting speed automatically.
- Automated Braking: Detects obstacles and applies brakes to prevent collisions.
- Lane-Keeping Assist: Keeps the vehicle centered in its lane.
- Limitations: Initially limited to highways, with city NOA planned via over-the-air (OTA) updates. It lacks LiDAR, relying on cameras and radar, which some critics liken to “nearsightedness” compared to higher tiers.
- Performance: Averages over 1,000 km of autonomous driving between human interventions, reportedly outperforming Tesla’s FSD in highway reliability, though direct comparisons are limited.
- God’s Eye B (DiPilot 300): Used in mid-to-high-end models like Denza and premium BYD vehicles.
- Features: Adds one LiDAR unit to the C-tier’s sensor suite, enabling city NOA (e.g., navigating turns, intersections, and traffic lights) alongside highway NOA, valet parking, and all C-tier features.
- Performance: Comparable to Tesla’s FSD in urban settings, with potentially safer highway driving due to LiDAR’s precision in low-visibility conditions.
- God’s Eye A (DiPilot 600): The top-tier system, exclusive to luxury models like the Yangwang U9 ($233,500).
- Features: Uses three LiDAR units, offering the most advanced version of city and highway NOA, valet parking, and other features. It’s been demonstrated on a racetrack autonomously, suggesting high precision.
- Performance: Claims up to 600 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS) of computing power, six times that of Tesla’s HW4 (100 TOPS), potentially allowing faster processing of complex scenarios.
General Characteristics:
- All tiers require driver supervision (hands on the wheel in China, per regulations).
- The system uses BYD’s Xuanji architecture, integrating cloud AI, vehicle-side AI, 5G, and satellite networks for real-time data processing and OTA updates.
- BYD claims God’s Eye enhances safety by monitoring road conditions and avoiding dangers, with plans to improve via AI and big data.
Availability Outside China: God’s Eye’s full functionality is unlikely in the US due to bans on Chinese connected-car tech starting in 2027, and Europe’s stricter regulations may limit its features.
3. Comparison to Pre-Electric Car Cruise Control
Traditional cruise control in pre-electric (mostly internal combustion engine) cars, introduced in the 1950s and refined through the 2000s, is far less sophisticated than BYD’s God’s Eye or Tesla’s FSD. Here’s how they compare:
- Traditional Cruise Control (Pre-Electric Era):
- Functionality: Basic cruise control maintained a set speed, requiring the driver to steer, brake, and accelerate when needed. It was a SAE Level 0 system, offering no automation beyond speed maintenance.
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): Introduced in the late 1990s, ACC (Level 1) used radar to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, adjusting speed automatically. It still required driver steering and constant attention.
- Limitations:
- No lane-keeping, parking, or navigation capabilities.
- No ability to handle turns, traffic signals, or complex scenarios.
- Relied on simple sensors (e.g., radar for ACC) with no AI or camera integration.
- Often optional, adding cost to higher-end models (e.g., luxury cars in the 2000s).
- Example: A 2005 Mercedes-Benz S-Class with ACC could maintain speed and distance but required full driver control for steering and braking in dynamic situations.
- BYD’s God’s Eye vs. Traditional Cruise Control:
- Advanced Automation: God’s Eye C (Level 2+) far surpasses traditional cruise control by offering lane-keeping, highway NOA, valet parking, and automated braking, with plans for city NOA via OTA updates. Higher tiers (A and B) add urban navigation and LiDAR for precision.
- Sensor Suite: Uses 12 cameras, 5 radars, and 12 ultrasonic sensors (plus LiDAR in A and B), compared to basic radar or no sensors in traditional cruise control.
- AI Integration: Leverages DeepSeek AI and real-time data for human-like decision-making, unlike the rule-based logic of early ACC.
- Accessibility: Included free on all BYD models, even sub-$10,000 cars, whereas traditional cruise control was often a paid option on premium vehicles.
- Safety: God’s Eye proactively avoids collisions and monitors road conditions, while traditional cruise control offered no collision avoidance.
- Key Differences:
- Complexity: God’s Eye handles steering, speed, lane changes, and parking, while traditional cruise control only managed speed (or distance with ACC).
- Driver Role: God’s Eye requires supervision but allows hands-off driving in some scenarios (e.g., highway NOA), whereas cruise control demanded constant driver input for steering and braking.
- Technology: God’s Eye’s multimodal sensors and AI contrast with the single-function radar or mechanical systems of traditional cruise control.
- Scope: God’s Eye aims for urban and highway autonomy, while cruise control was limited to steady-state highway driving.
Summary
- Tesla vs. BYD: Both Tesla’s FSD and BYD’s God’s Eye are SAE Level 2+ systems requiring driver supervision, but BYD’s inclusion of LiDAR and radar (in A and B tiers) may offer better reliability in adverse conditions, while Tesla’s vision-only system relies on advanced software. BYD’s system is free across all models, unlike Tesla’s costly FSD.
- BYD’s Assistance Level: God’s Eye C provides highway NOA, valet parking, adaptive cruising, and automated braking, with A and B tiers adding city NOA and LiDAR for enhanced precision. All require driver oversight but reduce workload significantly.
- Comparison to Pre-Electric Cruise Control: God’s Eye is exponentially more advanced, offering steering, navigation, and parking capabilities with AI-driven safety features, compared to the speed-only focus of traditional cruise control (Level 0) or ACC (Level 1).
