By Kim Hye-ran & Kim Tae-gyu, UPI News Korea
VinFast Chief Technology Officer Bae Hong-sang speaks during the Consumer Electronics Show last week in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy of VinFast
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Vietnamese electric carmaker VinFast plans to launch autonomous vehicles this year and next, the company told UPI News Korea.
VinFest displayed five models last week during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including the VF8, which would start at $41,000, and the VF9 at $56,000. Those models are expected to roll out this year.
The startup's team includes Chief Technology Officer Bae Hong-sang, a former executive at Samsung Electronics.
Bae said in an interview that VinFast is planning to launch Level 3 autonomous vehicles next year.
"Our VF8 and VF9 models - to be launched later this year - will be Level 2 models. Beginning late next year, Level 3 and Level 4 models will hit the market," Bae said.
Level 2 models have limited hands-free capabilities, while Level 3 models still require a driver to be ready to take control in an emergency. Level 4 vehicles, however, do not require a driver behind the wheel.
Bae, who earned a Ph.D. at Stanford University, is regarded as an expert in autonomous driving. Previously, he developed driverless cars at General Motors and Faraday Future.
Bae said VinFast is exploring whether to produce battery cells in-house. Currently, South Korea's Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution provide battery cells to the company.
"We are already preparing to design and manufacture battery modules and battery packs. A discussion is underway whether to do the same for battery cells," he said.
An assembly of battery cells forms a battery module of an electric vehicle, and multiple battery modules are called a "pack."
VinFast was founded in 2017 in Hai Phong and released its first model in early 2019.
This year, the company announced its all-electric strategy, scrapping the production of cars powered by an internal combustion engine.
No comments:
Post a Comment