Xpeng VLA 2.0 test ride in Munich: in Germany for Germany

On the sidelines of attending the global launch of the Xpeng MONA L03 in Munich back in July, I got a chance to experience an early version of the Xpeng VLA 2.0 NGP (Next Generation Pilot) on the streets of the Bavarian capital and home of BMW. The MONA L03 powered by three Xpeng Turing chips and integrated with Google Maps traversed an 8-km 30-minute route from Xpeng's Munich R&D Center to the city and back flawlessly. During the trip, I talk with Stefan, a smart cockpit product manager from Xpeng Germany (who was behind the wheel) about scenarios we experienced on the trip as well as Xpeng's efforts localizing intelligent driving in the German market as it tries to gain regulatory approval in the first half of 2027.