XPENG Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng announced on LinkedIn that the company's VLA 2.0 autonomous driving platform has received regulatory approval from the United Nations and European Union, with a global rollout "locked in" for 2027.
The system is designed to support Level 3 through Level 5 autonomous driving, ranging from hands-free operation to full autonomy. Vehicles equipped with VLA 2.0 will be activated for use once the platform is deployed.
While specific production volumes and investment figures were not disclosed, the approval positions XPENG to compete in international markets where regulatory frameworks for advanced driver-assistance systems are evolving. The company is preparing the MONA L03 model for global availability alongside VLA 2.0-enabled vehicles.
This milestone comes amid a broader push by Chinese automakers to expand autonomous driving capabilities into Western markets, where regulatory hurdles have historically slowed adoption. XPENG's approval signals progress in harmonizing Chinese ADAS technology with global standards.
Some analysts caution that full Level 5 autonomy remains years away from practical implementation, and consumer acceptance of hands-off driving may limit near-term adoption. The transition to real-world deployment will also depend on infrastructure readiness and liability frameworks.