Skyworth highlights safety in race to win customers

Skyworth Auto has prioritized safety features in its models as the Chinese carmaker explores the increasingly heated new energy vehicle market.

He Yongpan, vice-president of the carmaker, said it has introduced its latest safety system into its 2023 EV6 SUV, and added tests of side pillar collisions in the model's development.

The model performed well in the New Car Assessment Program by the China Automotive Technology & Research Center.

According to the program, the smart electric model could spot vehicles, two-wheelers or pedestrians in time to activate the automatic emergency braking to alleviate the collisions or even prevent traffic accidents.

Its lane keep assist and lane deviation warning functions won top scores in the program, said the center.

In terms of passive safety, the test vehicle's air curtains and safety belts functioned well in side pillar collisions. It also won top ratings in terms of blind spot monitoring, speed assist as well as electronic stability, according to the program.

Skyworth, established in 2021, delivered 3,258 vehicles in June, 190.42 percent from the previous month. In the first half, its deliveries totaled 9,927 units, mainly its HT-i and EV6.

China is one of the most competitive and largest markets for NEV makers.

Statistics from the China Passenger Car Association show that retail sales of passenger NEVs reached 638,000 units in June, up 19 percent year-on-year.

In the first half, retail sales of passenger NEVs totaled 3.06 million units, up 36 percent from the same period last year, according to the CPCA.

Analysts say as models nowadays have a lot of smart features, but safety remains the most important criterion in car buyers' decision-making process.