Xpeng promises to implement a proper automatic parking feature in its X9 minivan series: the electric MPVs will be able to drive themselves to an open slot and get back when summoned.
Liyun Li, boss of the Xpeng’s Autonomous Driving division, showcases the workings of this feature in the video here. According to CarNewsChina, it will still take a while for this technology to trickle down to the mass market, but in the meantime, the X9 drivers will take advantage of a rather sophisticated autopilot system powered by high-precision maps of China’s fifty largest cities.
The footage follows the minivan as it waits for the driver to get out, then drives itself to a storied parking lot. It chooses the correct route, passes the turnpike at the entrance and maneuvers around the lot actively looking for a passable parking space. Upon finding one, it drives into it and kills the motor, taking car to turn on the DRLs before doing so. It then proceeds to do everything in reverse, leaving the parking and coming back to the owner.
The video omits the essential question of whether the parking lot had special sensors or beacons of any kind installed to help the EV get its bearings.
Once it goes on sale in China, the Xpeng X9 will be offered in 320-PS (316-hp / 235-kW) and 496-PS (489-hp / 365-kW) forms with 3,160 mm (123.5 inches) of wheelbase for added interior comfort. It will be available in six- and seven-seat flavors when it arrives at the dealerships in January next year. The company hopes to introduce it in Europe sometime later in 2024, too.
