Tesla and XPeng Will Give Self-Driving Rides on Paris Roads at Next Week's Motor Show

So basically: The Paris Motor Show runs Oct. 12 to 18, and for the first time it has an “Autonomous Lab” where visitors can ride on open roads in cars that drive themselves under supervision. Only two automakers are listed: Tesla and XPeng.

How it works

You sign up at the show. Rides leave from a test center at Gate H in Hall 7.1, from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Each slot is about 25 minutes, with a guide in the car.

The route is set up to show pedestrian detection, automatic braking, lane keeping, adapting to traffic, assisted lane changes and automated parking.

The organizer describes it as a “supervised, fully automatic driving system, level 2++.” In plain terms: the car does the driving, and a human is still responsible.

The fleets

Tesla is bringing six Model 3 sedans running FSD (Supervised).

XPeng is bringing two L03 SUV coupes running its NGP system. XPeng calls this its first large-scale NGP ride program outside China.

The same test center offers regular test drives from 21 brands, including BYD, Leapmotor, Lucid and Zeekr. Only Tesla and XPeng are listed for the self-driving rides.

The awkward part

Neither system is approved for sale in France.

France’s transport minister, Philippe Tabarot, has raised concerns about speeding and driver attention with FSD. In early September he said two Teslas would go to the testing body UTAC for on-road trials.

FSD (Supervised) is now approved in eight European countries, after Croatia joined on Sept. 29. The organizer says it has covered more than 100 million km in Europe. Germany’s transport ministry says a decision on EU-wide approval is scheduled for December.

XPeng’s NGP isn’t available to any customer in Europe yet. CEO He Xiaopeng has said it should launch there in early 2027.

Neither the organizer nor the two companies have said what permission the rides will run under on open French roads.

What else is at the show

Tesla will show a Cybercab and its Optimus Gen 2 humanoid robot at its stand in Hall 7.1.

XPeng has a 1,000 m² stand in Hall 6 with its cars, its IRON humanoid robots and its flying cars. IRON started coming off a new production line in September.

XPeng is also holding the global launch of its G9L SUV on Oct. 12, with European orders and prices. It says it has delivered more than 100,000 cars outside China, over 60,000 of them in Europe.

My take

A 25-minute guided loop won’t prove which system is better, so don’t expect a real verdict out of Paris. What it does is put thousands of ordinary Europeans in the passenger seat on real streets, and that matters more than any spec sheet when regulators are deciding. A boring, smooth week helps Tesla heading into the December EU decision. For XPeng, just being the only other name next to Tesla is the win. One bad clip from Paris traffic would hurt both of them. That’s the risk they signed up for.