Cars
Intelligent Driving: The Transformation of the Second and Second Halves
Introduction: In the process of evolution, a new era of electrification and intelligence is emerging. In a discourse in 2021, Wang Chuanfu divided the development of the first half into the upper and lower halves, electrification became the main theme of the first half, and intelligence was the key to the second half. This assertion reveals the essential changes in the competition in the new energy vehicle market. In the past, the focus of new car hype was mainly on performance and range, however, in recent years, with the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, the voice has become less powerful. Keywords such as intelligent driving and intelligent cockpit have emerged and become the focus of new car publicity.
First Half: Build on your strengths.
The task of the first half is for car companies to establish their own advantages. During this period, car companies have invested important resources in performance and battery life to gain market share. However, this stage is destined to prepare for the decisive battle in the second half. Performance and battery life are no longer the only competitive factors, and intelligent driving and intelligent cockpit have gradually become the key for car companies to compete for users.
Second Half: Lidar on the Rise.
With the arrival of the second half, the mass production of lidar has become a prelude. The application of this technology marks the official birth of the concept of high-end intelligent driving, which has attracted technology companies including Huawei and other technology companies to enter the market. Lidar + high-precision map has become the mainstream of intelligent driving, however, car companies have begun to realize the limitations of this technology. While not falling behind in technology, car companies need to communicate with car owners at all times to ensure that the technology is truly implemented.
Technological Transformation and Challenges.
The mode of lidar + high-precision map is gradually limited, and the field of intelligent driving has gradually shifted to the direction that can be opened with and without maps. In this process, car companies must not only ensure that they do not fall behind in technology, but also maintain close communication with car owners to ensure that the technology can truly be implemented. In this process, on February 2, the AITO Wenjie series models carried out Huawei ADS20 OTA blockbuster upgrades. The upgrade includes 12 enhancements and 12 new additions.
Huawei ADS20 has been able to drive all over the country, and when driving on the same road section many times, it will optimize the response performance of the road surface by itself to achieve better driving. Among them, the newly added intelligent matching traffic flow speed driving has aroused heated discussions among netizens. According to the official explanation, the function can automatically trigger the function of intelligently matching the speed of the traffic flow according to the change in the speed of the traffic flow around the vehicle, so as to ensure that the vehicle keeps up with the traffic flow in real time and does not fall behind. However, this feature has sparked a series of controversies.
Explanation and repercussions of the controversial feature.
Intelligently matching the speed of traffic has sparked heated discussions among netizens. On the one hand, some netizens said that this function is in line with the national conditions, and according to the navigation speed limit, many road sections will increase unnecessary traffic jams. On the other hand, some netizens raised doubts that if every car exceeds the speed limit, isn't it illegal for the entire traffic flow? According to rumors, Yu Chengdong mentioned within Huawei that the speed limit on the road in a certain area is outrageous and needs to be improved. From a motorist's point of view, some speed limits do seem outrageous, but the dual goals of maintaining safety and efficiency in traffic planning need to be understood.
Balance between traffic efficiency and safety.
Intelligently matching the speed of traffic may help to improve traffic efficiency, but driving at a speed exceeding the speed limit may violate traffic laws. Most brands of high-end intelligent driving, such as following the car in front and overtaking on their own, can basically do it, but the premise is within the speed limit. However, if the speed of the vehicle in front is higher than the speed limit, and the vehicle chooses to drive against the speed limit, or cannot achieve self-operation at all, then "not going out of line is not illegal" has become the bottom line of all high-end intelligent driving experiences. Because no car company can guarantee whether it will bear unpredictable social responsibilities after this bottom line is broken. Considering traffic efficiency, the 2023 traffic laws have been adjusted in terms of speeding deductions.
Adjustments and challenges of traffic regulations.
In 2023, 3 points will be deducted for small cars driving on highways or urban expressways if they exceed the speed limit by less than 50% and a fine of 500 yuan will be imposed; 6 points will be deducted for speeding by more than 50% and a fine of 1,000 yuan will be imposed; Speeding by less than 20% may result in a fine, but no points will be deducted. In this adjustment, the controversial function of intelligently matching the speed of traffic has attracted more attention. For motorists, going with the flow may seem harmless, but in theory there is no such thing as "the law is not responsible". Therefore, it undoubtedly takes courage for Huawei to develop this function, but the suggestion of adding a switch may be the solution, leaving this function to the user to choose, which may not only improve traffic efficiency, but also avoid potential legal risks.
The competitive landscape of intelligent driving.
Intelligent driving that can be driven nationwide is not only Huawei's feature, but also many car companies aim for high-end intelligent driving that can be driven without a map and can be driven nationwide. In addition to Huawei, Xpeng Motors and Jiyue Motors are also making efforts in this field. In November last year, Xpeng XNGP became the industry's first fully open mapless city navigation assisted driving function. Xpeng's XNGP intelligent driver assistance system has covered 243 cities. With the accumulation of AI algorithms and intelligent driving, Jiyue Automobile adopts pure vision perception algorithms to achieve high-level intelligent assisted driving. After years of driving experience and experience in Xiaotong, the two brands have shown excellent strength in the two scenarios of automatic parking and high-speed sections.
The development trend of high-end intelligent driving.
With the passage of time, the high-end intelligent driving capabilities of the two brands have been significantly improved. Xpeng Motors has launched the AI driving function of one-click commuting, while Jiyue Automobile has further improved the intelligent driving ability of pure vision, realizing functions such as crossing the yellow dotted line and borrowing the opposite lane to bypass obstacles, improving the efficiency of daily commuting in the city. However, these features are not touched on by a feature like Huawei ADS20 of intelligently matching traffic flow speed driving and other controversial areas. In the field of intelligent driving, there has not yet been a player with the first fault, and various companies are trying to find a way to solve the pain points of drivers and compete for the first piece of cake in this field. In this process, frustration and mistakes may be inevitable, but only through these can the development of the enterprise be truly integrated with the reality, so that the technology can be truly implemented.
The sales volume of AITO is successful.
In January, AITO Wenjie defeated the ideal with monthly sales of 32,973 units, and still showed a trend of month-on-month sales**. The new M7 sold 31,253 units in January. The reasons for this success are twofold. First of all, the new M7 has its own advantages with the ideal L7 in terms of configuration, function, performance, etc., plus the advantages of tens of thousands of yuan, which attracts a large number of consumers. Secondly, the high-end intelligent driving function of the new M7 has become a highlight of its sales.
Intelligent driving market trends.
Consumers' acceptance of intelligent driving is gradually rising, and the penetration rate of intelligent driving in the passenger car market L2 and above has reached 424%。This figure is expected to reach 70% by 2025 and spread to 100,000-200,000 mainstream models. Therefore, other car companies are also increasing their investment in the field of intelligent driving. This makes this year the most competitive year for intelligent driving. Perhaps at the Beijing Auto Show, which opened in April this year, we will be able to see more black technologies in the field of intelligent driving born.
Conclusion: The development of intelligent driving is undergoing tremendous changes. From the electrification of the first half to the intelligence of the second half, the change is becoming more and more rapid. Technologies such as lidar, high-precision maps, and OTA upgrades are gradually promoting the development of intelligent driving. However, the controversies and challenges that come with it are becoming increasingly apparent. Issues such as the balance between traffic efficiency and safety, the adjustment of regulations, and consumer acceptance all need to be addressed by the industry. In this era of fierce competition, the intelligent driving market will continue to usher in more innovations and breakthroughs.