SAUDI ARABIA-CHINESE DRIVERLESS CAR Chinese automotive unveils its first driverless car to Saudi market

Record ID: 189551

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-CHINESE DRIVERLESS CAR Chinese automotive unveils its first driverless car to Saudi market
  • Date: 13th November 2014
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GENERAL MANAGER OF BYD IN SAUDI ARABIA, ENGINEER IBRAHIM QAHTAN, SAYING: "The Chinese company adopted the idea given they are a technology company, so they took advantage of the information and technology they have and implemented them into one of their cars. This was manifested into the remote control operation, which can move the car from its parking position - in narrow places sometimes you cannot take the car out of its parking spot or you cannot enter the car. The car can be directed out of these tight spots by remote control. It is also possible to bring the car closer to where the owner is in case of rain, storms or dust. People with special needs can greatly benefit from this car because they can bring it to where they are." BYD F5 REVERSING AUTOMATICALLY BY REMOTE CONTROL
  • Embargoed: 28th November 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABYBWWQ2D5LOVRCMMPF0X7QYOE
  • Story Text: One of China's top car makers, BYD (Build Your Dreams) auto unveiled their latest vehicle, a remote-operated driverless car, to a showroom packed with spectators in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
    The company, which has established a presence in Middle East markets, became globally known in 2008 when American business magnate Warren Buffett bought a 9.9 percent stake for US230 million dollars.
    Two years later, sales dropped as a series of quality issues coincided with an economic slowdown, but earlier this year sales picked up slightly as the company's plan to stop making conventional gasoline-fuelled cars within two years and focus on 'new energy' battery models seemed to pay-off.
    BYD opened two showrooms in Jeddah earlier this year and on Wednesday (November 12), their first Riyadh showroom unveiled the company's first remote control-operated F5 model in a ceremony attended by China's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the vice chairman of First Advanced Auto Company, BYD's official agents in the Kingdom.
    "In the past year, the volume of mutual trade between the two countries (China and Saudi Arabia) was more than seventy two billion (US) dollars. We hope we can raise this to even higher figures," China's Ambassador Li Chengwen said.
    The driverless vehicles are part of BYD's expansion in the market. The company, which currently has around a 37 percent share of China's new energy vehicle market, said in August it expected to further strengthen its position in the second half of the year with new models and expanded production capacity.
    But the company's profits have yet to measure up to its efforts. In October, they predicted net profit this year may fall as much as 22 percent due to sluggish sales of gasoline-driven cars, despite strong growth in its electric vehicle business.
    "Last June, we launched the first two branches in Jeddah with strategic partnership with the brand BYD. Today, we achieve an advanced step to expand one of the most important Saudi automotive markets, and most influential, in the beloved capital, Riyadh, which is considered one of the most important local sales outlets," said Mohammed Mosbahi, the vice chairman of First Advanced Auto Company.
    Driverless cars are not new to the automative market.
    In May of this year, Google unveiled a Lexus hybrid, their prototype driverless car. The company publicly disclosed its driverless car programme in 2010, though it began its development the previous year as part of their "Google X" division.
    While the technology poses ethical and safety questions, supporters of the technology said it can resolve many problems.
    "The Chinese company adopted the idea given they are a technology company, so they took advantage of the information and technology they have and implemented them into one of their cars. This was manifested into the remote control operation, which can move the car from its parking position - in narrow places sometimes you cannot take the car out of its parking spot or you cannot enter the car. The car can be directed out of these tight spots by remote control. It is also possible to bring the car closer to where the owner is in case of rain, storms or dust. People with special needs can greatly benefit from this car because they can bring it to where they are," Engineer Ibrahim Qahtan, BYD's General Manager In Saudi Arabia, said.
    BYD predicted 2014 net profit may fall to between 430 million yuan (US70.4 million) and 500 million, compared with last year's 553 million.

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