BYD of China Establishes Autonomous Vehicle Research Hub in Rio de Janeiro! Exploring the Future Mobility City of Brazil

A "Running Laboratory" for Autonomous Driving in Rio—BYD Establishes R&D Base at Galeão Airport, a New Key to Brazil's EV Strategy

Chinese EV giant BYD is setting up a research and development center for autonomous driving technology in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On October 12, 2025, local time, Chairman Wang Chuanfu announced the initiative alongside Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes. The site will be located within Tom Jobim International Airport (commonly known as Galeão), with plans to include a test track resembling a mini-circuit. The announcement was made at the mayoral residence "Palácio da Cidade," and the research will focus primarily on "driverless" autonomous driving. InfoMoney

The mayor emphasized at the press conference that "all R&D related to autonomous driving will be conducted in Rio." The airport site is in close proximity to the engineering hub COPPE of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the Technology Park (Parque Tecnológico), providing favorable conditions for industry-academia collaboration. The location selection for the R&D base aligns with urban planning, aiming to revitalize Galeão as part of the city's strategy. InfoMoney

Where and What to Build—Location and Function

According to local media reports and statements from the mayor, the base is expected to be located along the airport access road "Avenida 20 de Janeiro." For autonomous driving R&D, which requires driving experiments and repeated verification, the vast closed environment of an airport offers significant advantages in terms of safety and mobility. The test track will simulate scenarios such as lane changes, merging, and emergency braking, recreating "near-public road but manageable" experimental conditions. Tempo Real RJ

An executive leading the company's international division expressed the intention to establish a development area related to flex-fuel (ethanol blend) for the Brazilian market within the base. However, specific timelines for the establishment have not yet been disclosed. InfoMoney

"Two-Point Structure" with the Camaçari Plant in Bahia

The R&D base will complement BYD's EV plant in Camaçari, Bahia, in northeastern Brazil, forming part of a "two-point structure." The Camaçari plant, with a total investment of 5.5 billion reais (approximately $1 billion), plans to increase its initial annual production capacity of 150,000 units. Mass production will begin in July 2025, and by October, the 14 millionth NEV (new energy vehicle) commemorative car will roll off the line at the plant, rapidly enhancing its production presence in the country. Exports will target the entire Latin American region. InfoMoney　CnEVPost

Initially, there was also talk of a research center in Salvador (Bahia), but by March 2025, the concept of "R&D bases in both Bahia and Rio" was mentioned, and the official announcement in October of the same year marked progress for the Rio base. The arrangement aligns with the national strategy of industrial decentralization. CPG Click Petróleo e Gás

Why "Rio × Autonomous Driving R&D"?

Proximity to Geography and Talent
The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and COPPE, among others, provide a large pool of talent in mechanics, control, and AI. The location within the airport grounds offers convenience for the transport of vehicles and sensors and the entry and exit of international teams. The mayor emphasized the "distance to research and technology clusters," reflecting expectations for the speed generated by collaborative research with academia and startups. InfoMoney

Bridge to Public Road Demonstration
When transitioning from test tracks to closed sections and public road pilots, semi-public, semi-industrial areas like airport islands facilitate the design of demonstration systems. There are advantages in safety regulations, insurance, and data governance frameworks, as the city and companies can proceed while looking at the "same map."

Timing of the EV Market
Sales of EVs and PHEVs in Brazil are on a growth trend, and BYD is strengthening its presence in the country's market. By integrating local production and R&D, the aim is to quickly adapt models to local conditions (road conditions, ethanol conditions, climate, and terrain). CPG Click Petróleo e Gás

Social Media Reception: Enthusiasm and Caution, Points of Divergence

Immediately after the announcement, news posts spread on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms. Posts from local media and stakeholders followed one after another, increasing visibility. X (formerly Twitter)　Facebook

Voices of Welcome
Positive reactions highlighted ① the creation of high-skilled jobs, ② strengthening Rio's "tech city" brand, and ③ revitalizing the Galeão airport island. Some posts even compared the role division of "manufacturing (Bahia) × research (Rio)" to a "Brazilian Silicon Delta," reflecting expectations for boosting the regional economy. Such sentiments are also seen in threads accompanying local media distributions. Diário do Rio - Quem Ama o Rio Lê

Voices of Caution and Criticism
On the other hand, reactions pointed out issues such as ① operational costs, including infrastructure and security, ② geopolitical concerns regarding investments by Chinese companies, and ③ transparency of public support and tax incentives. Particularly, the distinction between "airport revitalization" and "private R&D," as well as rule-making concerning data sovereignty and protection, will be closely watched in future implementation stages. These issues are repeatedly raised in the comments sections of related posts. Facebook

*Note: SNS posts are often momentary and highly subjective. This article organizes reactions as "trends" based on reported official announcements and the posting and dissemination status of major media.

Contents of Autonomous Driving R&D: Practical Solutions for Brazil

While autonomous driving is often seen as "software-centric," adaptation to Brazil's unique environment is key, including the quality of local road surfaces, lane mark variations, strong sunlight and downpours, and intense mixed traffic (motorcycles, buses, bicycles, pedestrians).

• Sensor Fusion: Tuning the optimal configuration of radar, cameras, and LiDAR for cost and reliability.

• V2X Experiments: Verifying use cases like signal coordination and priority control with limited communication infrastructure around the airport.

• Ethanol Blend and Flex Fuel: Optimizing the hybrid of electrification and "low-carbon liquid fuels" (thermal management and exhaust after-treatment) as part of the R&D menu. InfoMoney

Governance and Rule-Making

Public road demonstrations require multi-layered frameworks, including ① safety standards (fail-safe in case of failure), ② data collection, anonymization, and cross-border transfer, ③ insurance and liability demarcation, and ④ cybersecurity. The city of Rio can lead the gradual establishment of rules using the airport as a "space close to a regulatory sandbox." The mayor spoke in the context of "Galeão redevelopment" because it facilitates the creation of such institutional design circuits. InfoMoney

Economic Ripple: Supply Chain Spanning City and Country

The location of the research base streamlines the import inspection of vehicles and parts, the installation of test equipment, and the movement of international teams. Although there is a distance from the production side (Camaçari), the bridge from prototyping to mass production can be managed through a combination of air and sea transport. Combined with an export-oriented production system, the potential for "regional horizontal deployment" of R&D results is crucial to understanding BYD's Brazil strategy. CnEVPost

What is Uncertain: Timeline and KPIs

As of now, the opening date of the research center, the scale of employment, and the KPIs for development phases (e.g., the number of L3/L4 operational units in limited areas, the ratio of simulation to real vehicle testing) have not been disclosed. Therefore, in the short term, land development and test track construction, and in the medium term, safety certification for limited area driving will serve as progress indicators. The announcement papers also note "schedule not disclosed." InfoMoney

Start Small, Spin Fast—A Realistic Roadmap (Tentative)

1. Phase 0: Design and Procurement
   Land development, measurement infrastructure, and scenario generation pipeline construction (3-6 months).

2. Phase 1: Closed Driving
   Route following, intersection/merging, and weak adverse weather response up to 80% completion (6-12 months).

3. Phase 2: Limited Autonomous Driving within the Airport Island
   Assuming logistics carts/shuttles. L4 testing on regular routes where human flow can be predicted (12 months+).

4. Phase 3: Urban Pilot (Priority Lanes)
   Collaboration areas with public infrastructure, such as bus/BRT integration and port logistics accompanying driving.

Note: The above is a model case by the author based on public information. Actual processes may vary due to regulations and investment decisions.

Conclusion: Rio as the "Brain" of Brazil's EV Strategy

BYD is set to accelerate mobility innovation from Brazil with a two-base system of production in Bahia and research in Rio. The airport location serves as a device to increase the "implementation speed" of testing and institutional development. While social media reflects both enthusiasm and caution, it is clear that "Rio has been written into the map of autonomous driving." The next step is to respond with KPIs and transparency. InfoMoney##HTML