German automaker Volkswagen is enhancing its collaboration with a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor and autonomous driving software company.
On July 23, Reuters reported that Volkswagen has decided to strengthen its partnership with the Chinese IT firm Horizon Robotics (known in Chinese as Di Ping Xian, 地平线).
In 2022, Volkswagen and Horizon established a joint venture called CariZone in China. CariZone has been developing technology for Volkswagen based on Horizon's autonomous driving systems.
Volkswagen plans to further utilize Horizon Robotics' AI-based models through CariZone, accelerating the development of its own AI autonomous driving solutions.
The development will focus on Level 3 and Level 4 autonomous driving technologies. Level 3 allows drivers to disengage from monitoring the road under certain conditions, while Level 4 enables vehicles to operate independently in limited environments.
Additionally, Volkswagen announced plans to launch vehicles equipped with Level 3 capabilities in the Chinese market in the second half of next year. These vehicles will be sold not only in China but also in overseas markets. Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen, stated, "This collaboration will enhance Volkswagen's competitiveness in the Chinese market while creating new opportunities in some overseas markets."
Horizon Robotics is a leading Chinese company in autonomous driving semiconductors and software, founded in 2015 by Yu Kai, a former Baidu executive. The company collaborates with local Chinese automotive brands as well as global firms like Volkswagen, Toyota, and Nissan.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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