He Xiaopeng sees Level 4 driving technology arriving in late 2028

What Level 4 means

At Level 4, a car drives itself within defined conditions without needing a driver to take over. He Xiaopeng said Robotaxis may get there a little sooner than other uses. His forecast concerns the wider industry; XPeng’s own Robotaxi has a separate timetable.

He has offered several Level 4 forecasts this year. His latest remarks distinguish technical readiness from the regulations needed to put it into use.

XPeng is already taking passengers

XPeng’s Robotaxi, XPENG YOYO, opened to invited riders outside the company on 8 October, after more than 2,200 staff rides. Since August, it has held a Guangzhou permit for tests with no one in the driver’s seat on designated roads.

YOYO uses VLA 2.0, the AI driving model that also powers driver assistance in XPeng’s customer cars. In those cars, the driver must still supervise. XPeng plans to earn from hardware, services and a share of Robotaxi revenue, with partners running the taxis.

For He Xiaopeng, a true Level 4 company has to start with the Robotaxi. He said some Level 4 abilities already reach production cars, such as recognising a pedestrian’s wave and pulling over.

Why he would skip Level 3

Today’s Level 2 driver assistance helps steer and brake while the driver watches the road. Level 3 lets the system drive in set conditions, but the driver must take control when asked. He argues that this middle step offers too little improvement in safety or experience.

He described trying Audi’s Level 3 system on European motorways. In a whole day of driving, he said, it worked for only a few minutes. His preference is to move straight to Level 4.

XPeng nevertheless holds a Guangzhou permit to test Level 3, granted in December 2025. Its customer cars remain Level 2.

He would judge progress by how far cars drive safely, how much driving a system can handle and how many users will pay for it. He also cautioned that handling snow, mud and grass requires the vehicle controls and driving software to work together, a challenge that will take more than a year or two.

XPeng also contributes to the rules: it now serves as the carmakers’ secretary on a UN task force on automated driving.

How others see it

XPeng’s founder favours moving directly to Level 4. BYD and NIO see Level 3 as a step forward, while Huawei emphasises safety and useful everyday services.

The panel’s outlooks cover different milestones, from technical readiness to vehicle rollout.

Momenta’s chief executive Cao Xudong put particular emphasis on 2028. Horizon Robotics founder Yu Kai focused on turning systems people can use into systems they love.

Asked when BYD’s own Level 3 vehicles would arrive, senior vice president Yang Dongsheng pointed to 2028, with higher levels one to two years later.

NIO’s chief executive Li Bin separated technical readiness from permission to deploy it. NIO’s own Level 3 rollout still depends on regulatory approval; permits for other brands’ vehicles do not automatically cover its cars.

BYD’s forecast comes after the first Chinese Level 3 road pilots. ARCFOX and Changan’s Deepal received dedicated plates in December 2025 for restricted highway and urban-expressway use. Those permissions cover specific road conditions, rather than autonomous driving through ordinary city streets.

Huawei also has a practical stake in this transition. GAC’s Huawei-equipped HYPTEC A800 secured permission for Level 3 highway tests at up to 120 km/h in 2025. That is a test permit, separate from the approved road pilots.

Jin Yuzhi, chief executive of Huawei’s automotive technology business Yinwang, stressed the higher safety requirements when driving responsibility moves from the person to the system. He also pictured cars parking, charging, washing themselves and even fetching coffee once autonomous driving becomes widespread.

What comes next for XPeng

XPulse’s reading: using one driving model for customer cars and Robotaxis gives XPeng a promising way to develop both businesses. Its permits and invited rides show practical progress. The opportunity is to improve the assistance owners use today while building a new source of income through Robotaxi partners.

The next milestone is XPeng’s planned passenger demonstration service in Guangzhou in the second half of 2026. Its goal for 2027 is passenger service with no safety operator. Those company targets give readers concrete steps to follow alongside He Xiaopeng’s broader forecast.