Geely showcases its new AI chassis with ‘autonomous’ drifting

While many are still skeptical about the plausibility of 100% autonomous vehicles, Geely Auto is showing that its new AI ‘digital’ chassis can not only safely operate on snow and ice without a driver but can also pull off fully autonomous drifting.

Geely Auto sits under the larger umbrella of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd as its automotive department. Aside from its own branded EVs, the Chinese automaker owns stakes in plenty of other notable brands, including Zeekr, Volvo, Lotus, Lynk&Co, Polestar, and others.

In recent years, Geely has tended to keep its technology fairly hidden. Today is an exception as the group is showcasing its new AI digital chassis, which will soon deliver a “safe mobility experience that exceeds expectations for mainstream users” in upcoming models from sub-brands like Galaxy.

‘Autonomous drifting’

To demonstrate some of the new chassis’ capabilities, Geely took to icy roads to perform autonomous drifting, which the automaker called a “world’s first.”

Geely touted the new AI digital chassis on its Weibo page, which included a video of a sedan performing autonomous drifting in the snow. It’s fairly eerie to see an EV perform maneuvers Geely describes as “comparable to that of a professional race car driver.”

In a CnEVPost, Geely explained that the new chassis uses a lot of advanced technology to perform such aggressive driving techniques, including a perception large model algorithm integrated with software and hardware capabilities.

It culminates in a holistic system that can sense and predict the state of the vehicle in real-time, comparable to a professional driver. Furthermore, the vehicle’s steer-by-wire system operates in millisecond-level adjustments that deliver precise control of drift direction.

Enhancing comfort and safety

By combining its AI large model, digital chassis, and intelligent driving technology, Geely says it can deliver a new breed of EV that can not only perform autonomous drifting but also provide passengers with a higher level of safety and driver assistance.

More consumer-friendly features include better active avoidance and active braking and the ability to perform crab walking and tank turns. On the other hand, Geely’s new AI digital chassis can also stabilize the EV in the event of traffic backups and drift to avoid obstacles on the road, especially in extreme conditions.

Inside the vehicle, Geely’s Xingrui AI large model can draw pictures and hold voice conversations with its passengers. Maybe it can tell you a good joke or an interesting story while you’re waiting at the charging pole to be fully ‘electrified’ again.