China Just Dropped the First Petrol Car That Drives Itself Like a Huawei EV

At the 2025 Guangzhou Auto Show, FAW-Audi pulled the covers off something nobody saw coming: an Audi A5L that runs on petrol but thinks like the smartest electric cars from China. They call it the Audi A5L Qiankun Intelligent Driving Edition. Price? 286,800 yuan – about PKR 11.2 million if you convert it straight.

And yes, it’s the first pure petrol car in the world to get Huawei’s full Qiankun smart-driving system.

33 Sensors and Two LiDARs on a Petrol Audi

Most people only see Huawei’s tech in electric cars like the Aito M9 or Avatr 12. This time they stuffed the same brain into a normal 2.0-litre turbo Audi.

What’s inside:

• 2 LiDAR units (one on each side of the bumper)

• 12 cameras

• 5 millimeter-wave radars

• 12 ultrasonic sensors

• Plus the usual high-precision maps and positioning hardware

That setup lets the car do city and highway NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) without the driver touching the wheel or pedals on approved roads. It can change lanes by itself, overtake slow trucks, handle roundabouts, and even park without anyone inside.

Looks Different From Regular A5L

The Qiankun edition is easy to spot:

• Illuminated Audi rings front and back

• OLED tail lights that run edge-to-edge

• Hidden door handles

• Longer wheelbase (2969 mm), 11 cm more than the global A5, so back-seat passengers get proper legroom

Inside, you get three big screens across the dash, a separate passenger display, and Bang & Olufsen speakers that actually sound good.

Same Engine, New Brain

Under the hood, it’s the familiar 2.0T with 201 hp and a 7-speed dual-clutch box. 0 to 100 km/h takes 8.2 seconds. Nothing crazy, but the fuel tank is normal petrol, so you can fill up anywhere, no waiting for chargers.

Why This Actually Matters

Until yesterday, if you wanted Huawei’s best self-driving tech, you had to buy an electric or extended-range car. Now you can have it in a normal petrol sedan that your uncle in Faisalabad can refuel in two minutes.

Audi gets to sell a “smart” car without building a new EV platform. Huawei proves its system works on any powertrain. And customers who don’t trust batteries yet still get Level 2+ autonomy today, maybe Level 3 tomorrow when rules allow.

Only in China for Now

No word yet on exports. The global A5/A5L sold elsewhere doesn’t have this hardware, and adding two LiDARs would probably scare European regulators for a few years.

But if you live in China and want a petrol car that can drive you home from Guangzhou to Shenzhen while you watch a movie, you can order one right now.

Delivery starts early 2026.

For the rest of us, it’s proof that the gap between Chinese “new forces” tech and traditional brands just disappeared overnight.

For more updates, visit DrivePK.com