And wraps are off Byton autonomous saloon

THE K-byte Concept has been revealed by fledgling Chinese start-up Byton, in Shanghai, showcasing the brand’s vision of a saloon that is set to hit production in three years’ time.

The K-byte is the second concept Byton has revealed this year; the firm took the wraps off the Concept SUV at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) back in January. That vehicle – which shares a platform with the K-byte – has now been renamed the M-byte Concept.

“By adopting this naming strategy, Byton looks to highlight our brand DNA of ‘next-generation smart device’,” said Byton co-founder Carsten Breitfeld.

The K-byte Concept will measure 4.95 metres long, 1.95m wide and 1.5m tall, with a three-metre wheelbase. That makes it shorter but wider than a Tesla Model S.

The Chinese brand is working alongside autonomous driving firm Aurora to develop Level 4 autonomy for its cars, with prototype testing set to begin before the end of 2020.

To this end, the K-byte Concept integrates retractable front and rear lidar scanners which monitor the vehicle’s surroundings during autonomous driving.

A production version of the K-byte should arrive in 2021. Byton plans to launch up to 30 stores across China over the next 18 months, before expanding into Europe and America.

“Retractable lidar scanners monitor K-byte’s surroundings during autonomous driving”