BYD Company, known for being Tesla’s most formidable contender in the global market, has just rolled out its very first smart tablet that’s entirely developed in-house for in-car infotainment. This innovation is a crucial part of the company’s drive towards making its operations self-sufficient.
The tablet is set to make its debut in the Fang Cheng Bao Tai 7 hybrid SUV, allowing for an impressive multi-screen interaction with the vehicle’s system, as noted by CnEVPost.
The Tai 7 is the latest addition to the Fang Cheng Bao’s lineup, coming right after the Tai 3, and aims to cater to the demands of urban driving. You can expect it to hit the market in the last quarter of this year, as the brand celebrated the completion of its first Tai 7 unit at its manufacturing facility just this Monday.
This initiative is in response to the growing importance that Chinese buyers are placing on in-car connectivity solutions. Competing tech and EV companies like Xiaomi and Huawei are simultaneously releasing smarter infotainment setups. Meanwhile, Nio has produced two iterations of its Nio Phone to facilitate closer integration between devices and vehicles, though their plans for a third generation are on hold due to funding challenges.
Also worth noting is BYD’s significant involvement in the electronics sector where it manufactures devices for well-known brands including Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Honor.
In contrast, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has made it known that he doesn’t have plans to step into this space anytime soon. In an October 2024 town hall meeting in Pennsylvania, he humorously remarked that the very thought of creating a phone “makes me want to die.” He went on to say that Tesla could indeed produce a smartphone if needed but prefers to steer clear of that market.
According to Musk, entering that sphere would only become a priority if Apple or Google impose restrictive policies in their app stores, stating that it might create a necessity for a competitive alternative, as reported by Benzinga.
At a panel discussion at the New York Times DealBook Summit in November 2023, Musk reiterated his stance, indicating that he doesn’t see any urgent need for Tesla to develop a phone, stating, “But I’ve got bigger fish to fry” amidst questions regarding rivalry from tech giants venturing into AI-powered devices.
Looking at market sentiments voiced on Stocktwits, the mood appears “bearish” for BYD, “extremely bullish” for Tesla, and “neutral” for Nio, all amid a backdrop of “low” message volumes.
This year has seen BYD’s U.S.-listed shares increase by 26%, while Tesla has dipped by 16%, and Nio has enjoyed a 13% rise.
For the latest updates, don’t hesitate to reach out to newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.
