Xpeng’s upcoming GX flagship SUV looks set to give Bosch’s next-generation steer-by-wire system its first production outing.
Chinese tech outlet IT Home reported that the GX will be the first mass-produced model globally to use the setup, which is said to support Level 4 autonomous-driving applications and integrate more than 100 functions.
Steer-by-wire removes the traditional mechanical link between the steering wheel and the wheels, replacing it with electronic controls, sensors and actuators.
The advantages are multi-faceted: freer software tuning, more flexibility in vehicle layout, and a platform better suited to future automated-driving systems.
Bosch said its new-generation system is now entering mass production, and Xpeng appears to be first in line.
What stands out here is the price band. IT Home, quoting STAR Market Daily, said the GX will be the first vehicle priced below 500,000 yuan (RM286,000) to bring this level of steer-by-wire capability into production.
In other words, Xpeng is trying to move a high-end technology into a less rarefied corner of the market.
The GX, which looks like the Range Rover, itself is no small thing. It is a full-size six-seat SUV measuring 5,265mm in length, 1,999mm in width and 1,800mm in height, with a 3,115mm wheelbase.
It uses a dual-motor intelligent all-wheel-drive setup with Xpeng’s self-developed 800V mixed-silicon-carbide coaxial electric drive, producing 430kW and 695Nm.
Xpeng also lists rear-wheel steering, an 800V platform, a 5C ultra-fast-charging AI battery and available 22-inch wheels among the headline features.
The SUV is expected to go on sale in China by May. Xpeng is already presenting it as an AI-led luxury six-seat flagship.
