Pulsestacks reported on April 30th that during the 2024 Beijing International Auto Show, industry leaders, corporate executives, and expert scholars were invited by Pulsestacks to enter the "AI Real-time Virtual Studio." Through immersive experiences provided by Peak Speed, Netaland, and Content Players, they collectively explored the breakthroughs and innovations of the new era and new cars.
Exclusive Interview with Zhang Yufeng from Horizon at the 2024 Beijing Auto Show (Source: Pulsestacks)
On April 25th, Mr. Zhang Yufeng, Vice President and President of the Intelligent Automotive Business Unit at Horizon, appeared on Peak Speed's "AI Real-time Virtual Studio." He mentioned that Horizon's strategic planning and business model innovation in the field of intelligent driving technology demonstrate the company's leading position and profound impact in promoting the popularization of intelligent driving technology and ecosystem construction. Through continuous technological innovation and industry collaboration, Horizon is leading intelligent driving technology into a new development stage.
Vice President of Horizon, General Manager of Intelligent Driving Product Line - Zhang Yufeng
Pulsestacks: At the Beijing Auto Show, Horizon has refreshed its commercial performance, with the Journey series accumulating a shipment volume of over 5 million units. Mr. Zhang, could you share with us the new plans Horizon has for its future commercial landscape?
Zhang Yufeng: Since its establishment in 2015, Horizon has made significant progress, starting mass production in 2020. As a smart driving technology company, we have been advancing rapidly. The Journey family of computing solutions has exceeded 5 million units in shipments. The latest release, the Journey 6 series, comprises 6 computing solutions ranging from 10T to 560T, covering various intelligent driving scenarios, offering a range of choices that balance performance and cost. The Journey 6 series maintains a unified hardware architecture, toolchain, and software stack, facilitating rapid implementation and development of smart driving solutions for automotive companies.
Vice President of Horizon, General Manager of Intelligent Driving Product Line - Zhang Yufeng, and Editor-in-Chief of Pulsestacks, Wang Fang
Pulsestacks: Some believe that this year could be the breakthrough year for intelligent driving technology. Do you agree? How do you determine the timing of the full-scale outbreak of intelligent driving?
Zhang Yufeng: Technology companies, including Horizon, are putting tremendous effort into intelligent driving products. The shift from intelligent driving technology being a product highlight to becoming one of the factors influencing car purchase decisions indicates the maturity of product experience, value for money, and user mindset. I believe this year could be a turning point for the widespread adoption of intelligent driving technology among the masses. Horizon is committed to driving industry iteration towards a direction that is safer, more usable, better, and loved by users.
Pulsestacks: At this historic moment in the development of intelligent driving, how does Horizon meet user needs through industrial collaboration?
Zhang Yufeng: Horizon considers ecosystem construction as a core strategy, proposing a new ecosystem concept that shifts focus from product development to consumer experience and safety in usage. This encourages ecosystem partners to concentrate on providing safe and user-friendly application scenarios. Through iterative computing solutions, we enhance development efficiency and cost-effectiveness to meet intelligent driving needs in different scenarios. Simultaneously, we break through in our business model by offering reference solutions for computing schemes, toolchains, and application software, supporting car manufacturers and suppliers in creating differentiated products.
Pulsestacks: What upgrades does the Journey 6 series have, and how does it meet the diverse needs of the intelligent driving market?
Zhang Yufeng: The Journey 6 series evolves from integrated machines to domain controllers, from active safety to full-scene intelligent driving, covering all stages of intelligent driving applications. The six versions provide computing solutions for different intelligent driving scenarios, maintaining the optimal balance between performance and cost. The Journey 6 series is designed with unified hardware architecture, toolchains, and software stacks to enhance development efficiency. Additionally, the SuperDrive full-scene solution demonstrated near Chaoyangqu Taishan Road showcases outstanding performance in complex environments.
Pulsestacks: After the release of the Journey 6 series and SuperDrive, what new considerations does Horizon have in its business model?
Zhang Yufeng: Horizon adheres to an open business model, offering four major modes: computing scheme architecture licensing, pure computing scheme delivery, algorithm delivery, and high-end intelligent driving solution collaboration. SuperDrive will collaborate with top Tier 1 companies and automotive brands, launching a standard production solution in the fourth quarter of 2024 and delivering production models in the third quarter of 2025. Journey 6E and M have partnered with multiple ecosystem partners, planning to introduce over 50 quasi-mass-produced products based on Journey 6E/M in the second quarter of 2024.
Pulsestacks: What are the commercial expectations for the Journey 6 and SuperDrive?
Zhang Yufeng: SuperDrive has collaborated with Junlian Zhihang and Zero Bundle Technology to create mass-produced solutions. We aim to provide a human-like driving experience in complex scenarios, raising the bar for user experience. Additionally, we focus on cost advantages by meeting industry demands for cost reduction and efficiency enhancement through technological iterations and product upgrades, offering consumers a cost-effective and high-performance intelligent driving experience.
Pulsestacks: Against the backdrop of the explosion of intelligent driving technology, how do you balance research investment and cost control?
Zhang Yufeng: Technology companies need to reduce costs through product iterations and technological innovations. The Journey 6 series lowers development costs through three unifications, enhancing integration and achieving "four cores in one" to optimize hardware design. Simultaneously, by improving algorithm capabilities, reducing reliance on sensors, selecting high-value sensors, and driving overall cost optimization through technology, we meet the market's demand for high-performance, low-cost intelligent driving solutions.
