By ATN Editorial Team
Summary: Changan Group has launched SDA Pilot, an advanced driver assistance system developed by its own engineering teams and released in Pro, Max and Ultra tiers, with a further tier to follow. Changan SDA Pilot Ultra makes its production debut on the CHANGAN NEVO Q06, which opened for pre-order at the launch event.
Key engineering takeaway: Changan SDA Pilot Ultra pairs a 560 TOPS computing chip, meaning 560 trillion operations per second, with a 256-line LiDAR, and Changan states that the SDA Pilot end-to-end large model was trained on more than 20 million segments of real-world driving data and uses 10 Hz high-frequency reasoning. Changan says validation runs continuously at its SDA Lab across more than 400,000 virtual scenarios and 3.3 million kilometres of simulated driving a day, covering climate conditions in 224 regions.
Why it matters: Changan SDA Pilot Ultra integrates Highway NCA, Urban NCA, intelligent parking assist covering more than 400 scenarios and 31 active safety features, and Changan says it delivers millisecond-level response. Changan SDA Pilot was developed by Changan’s own engineering teams, and Changan says its intelligent driving team has grown to more than 7,500 people, backed by cumulative R&D investment of more than EUR 7.7 billion.
Changan Group has launched SDA Pilot, an advanced driver assistance system developed by its own engineering teams. The system is designed to make driving safer, smoother and stress-free. It follows sustained investment by Changan in intelligent driving technology.
Changan’s intelligent driving team has grown from a handful of engineers to more than 7,500 people, backed by cumulative R&D investment of more than EUR 7.7 billion. We will continue to pursue our strategy for intelligent transformation and to build our core technologies in-house.
Zhu Huarong, chairman of Changan Group
The company developed prototypes of forward collision warning and lane departure warning functions in 2011 and achieved mass production of its Level 2 IACC (Integrated Adaptive Cruise Control) system in 2018. The next milestone came on December 20, 2025, when Changan received the first official licence plate in China for Level 3 conditional autonomous driving.
Changan began developing intelligent driving technology in 2009, when it was still a laboratory subject in China. SDA Pilot is the result of everything we have learned since.
Zhao Fei, president of Changan Group
Changan SDA Pilot Tiers And Ultra Hardware
Currently, three tiers have been released: Pro, Max and Ultra, with a more advanced tier to follow. The SDA Pilot Ultra integrates Highway NCA, Urban NCA, 400+ scenario intelligent parking assist, and 31 active safety features. Powered by a 560 TOPS computing chip and a 256-line LiDAR, it delivers millisecond-level response for exceptionally smooth operation.
Changan SDA Pilot demonstrates real technological strength, offering a driving experience that is safer, smoother and stress-free.
Safer: Changan SDA Pilot features active LiDAR detection and 10Hz high-frequency reasoning, so it can detect hazards earlier than human drivers even in low-light, glare, rain, or fog conditions.
Smoother: SDA Pilot’s end-to-end large model is trained on over 20 million segments of high-quality real-world driving data, producing intuitive, human-like driving behaviour.
Stress-Free: SDA Pilot delivers interactive navigation powered by a vision-and-voice fused multimodal large model. With natural-language voice commands and driving behaviour memory, it enables a true “dialogue” between the user and the system.
Validation In The Changan SDA Lab
Changan has established the Changan SDA Lab, supporting collaboration with 24/7 uninterrupted testing, over 400,000 virtual simulation scenarios, and 3.3 million kilometres of daily simulated driving mileage covering climate conditions in 224 regions across the globe. From the lab to the road, the most dangerous scenarios are stopped before they start, and the most reassuring experience is delivered to every user.
At the launch event, the CHANGAN NEVO Q06, the first production model to be equipped with the SDA Pilot Ultra, officially opened for pre-order, highlighting Chinese automakers’ accelerating efforts to bring advanced driver assistance technology to the mass market.
Changan will continue to uphold an open and collaborative approach, deepening strategic partnerships worldwide to deliver intelligent mobility solutions that meet the highest safety standards. Guided by its mission to “Lead sustainable mobility and benefit human life,” the company is committed to shaping a smarter, safer, and more sustainable future for mobility worldwide.
Changan SDA Pilot: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Changan SDA Pilot?
Changan SDA Pilot is an advanced driver assistance system developed by Changan Group’s own engineering teams. It is offered in Pro, Max and Ultra tiers, with a further tier to follow.
What hardware does Changan SDA Pilot Ultra use?
A 560 TOPS computing chip and a 256-line LiDAR. TOPS stands for trillion operations per second and is the standard measure of an AI accelerator’s throughput, so 560 TOPS describes how much perception and planning work the chip can carry rather than how fast the car reacts. The 256-line figure is the LiDAR’s vertical channel count, which sets how finely it resolves objects at distance. Changan states the combination delivers millisecond-level response, with 10 Hz reasoning and active LiDAR detection in low light, glare, rain and fog.
What functions does Changan SDA Pilot Ultra integrate?
Changan SDA Pilot Ultra integrates Highway NCA, Urban NCA, intelligent parking assist covering more than 400 scenarios and 31 active safety features.
Which car gets Changan SDA Pilot Ultra first?
The CHANGAN NEVO Q06, which opened for pre-order at the launch event as the first production model fitted with SDA Pilot Ultra.
How is Changan SDA Pilot validated?
Changan states that testing runs continuously at its SDA Lab, using more than 400,000 virtual simulation scenarios and 3.3 million kilometres of simulated driving mileage a day, covering climate conditions in 224 regions.
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