XPeng challenges Tesla: NGP demo in Paris in direct comparison with FSD

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents XPeng challenges Tesla: NGP demo in Paris in direct comparison with FSD.

One hour, a loop through Paris, not a single touch of the pedals: that is the first public real-world test of the XPeng NGP, in which the French tech outlet Numerama was able to ride along on Sunday, October 11, 2026 — one day before the opening of the Mondial de l'Auto — near the Quai de Grenelle. The Chinese manufacturer is thus only the second brand after Tesla to publicly demonstrate highly automated driving in Paris.

What's under the hood — and why not every XPeng comes along for the ride

The new L03, the brand's entry-level model, served as the test vehicle. But not in every variant: only the Ultra versions, priced at €42,990 and €46,990, come with the necessary computing power. On board sit two in-house Turing chips with 750 TOPS each, for a combined 1,500 TOPS — roughly 1.5 trillion computing operations per second. The cheaper L03 versions at €34,990 and €37,990 are left out. From the rest of the XPeng lineup, only the new flagship G9L (officially unveiled in Paris on October 12) is NGP-capable alongside the L03 Ultra. G6, G9, and P7+ draw the short straw — they simply lack the computing power. Unlike Tesla with its older HW3 vehicles, XPeng does not promise a stripped-down version of the system but openly names the gap.

Cameras plus radar — the middle ground between Tesla and BYD

Sensor-wise, XPeng takes a different path than the US role model. Instead of Tesla's "Vision Only" philosophy, the L03 relies on 12 "Hawk Eye Vision" cameras and 12 radar units distributed around the vehicle. BYD goes even further and adds LiDAR on top. The data is processed by the AI model VLA 2.0, which draws its power from the two Turing chips.

A supervisor stays in the cockpit, but the feet stay still

During the demo, a supervisor is required to sit behind the wheel. The rule for the first public test: hands loose, eyes on. In this version, however, the system requires you to lightly touch the steering wheel periodically. In the production version, as XPeng confirmed to Numerama, you can take your hands completely off the wheel. The supervisor didn't use their feet at all during the entire, almost hour-long loop anyway.

The scenarios that impress inside the car

Shortly after the start, a first intersection: signal, position cleanly at the triple light, turn left. Then a bottleneck — two buses are stopped with hazard lights on in their lane, blocking the way. The XPeng inches itself centimeter-perfect between oncoming cars and the bus flanks. The system knows its vehicle dimensions and knows whether it fits — something human drivers regularly get wrong in such moments.

At a later intersection, multiple obstacles come together: A delivery van blocks the right lane (where you want to turn), while a car sits in the middle of the intersection wanting to turn left. The XPeng weaves past, then brakes for pedestrians — and keeps an eye on a cyclist who was in the blind spot and sprinted off at the last moment. In another situation, a car overtakes on the right at an intersection, which a driver usually sees too late. The system detects it in time.

Even in construction zones with confusing lane markings, the system remains composed, according to Numerama. The assessment of the surroundings is "bluffing," the interaction with pedestrians at crosswalks "exemplarily polite."

The one scene where NGP hesitates

A bus, double-parked, doors open. A passenger steps out and steps onto the road without looking. The XPeng recognizes the situation but does not brake harder than necessary — although the open bus door would have been an early warning sign. According to Numerama, this is the only scene in which more caution would have served the system well.

Comparison with Tesla FSD: more cautious, but without mistakes

Both systems fall into the same L2++ category: the car takes over door-to-door driving on all road types, while the human remains monitored via interior camera. In direct comparison, the XPeng system appears more cautious than Tesla's FSD. When pulling away at a green light, NGP lets a brief moment pass if another road user is ahead. And when it comes to speed limits, XPeng makes no exceptions: unlike FSD, there is no switch that raises the system to the speed of flowing traffic — which in some countries is precisely the sticking point of Tesla's solution.

When can you use NGP yourself?

XPeng is hoping for homologation in early 2027, depending on the state of European regulation. XPeng was already prominently represented at the Mondial de l'Auto: Emmanuel Macron had invited the manufacturer, along with around a dozen other players, to a round table on autonomous driving. The business model is already set: NGP will be offered as a subscription, not as a one-time option. XPeng has not yet revealed what it will cost monthly.