The Dawn of Driverless as China's auto industry embraces autonomy

Autonomous driving is rapidly transitioning from futuristic concept to tangible reality in China, making its presence felt in an increasing number of vehicles and driverless robotaxis.

Bolstered by advancements in core components and battery technology, these systems promise an intelligent and safer driving experience, as observed by Shanghai Daily at the ongoing Auto Shanghai 2025.

This evolution underscores China's progress in establishing a comprehensive smart driving industry chain, encompassing everything from chips and artificial intelligence models to battery management and intelligent cabins. This integrated approach is enhancing the competitiveness of Chinese automotive players both domestically and on the global stage.

Evolving Chinese Intelligent Driving

Su Yi, a tech influencer, exemplifies this shift. He recently traded his Tesla for a new Stelato S9, powered by Huawei's Harmony autonomous driving system.

"The Harmony system's intelligent cockpit and autonomous driving capabilities are particularly impressive," Su told Shanghai Daily at the auto show.

While Tesla excels in human-machine interface design, its understanding of China's unique road conditions and the localization of big data and model training still lag behind, he added.

During the event, Huawei announced the commercial readiness of its upgraded Autonomous Driving System (ADS), now at Level 3. This enhanced system boasts improved safety features, parking capabilities, and intelligent driving functionalities. Huawei also collaborated with partners to showcase the latest models from Aito and Stelato, alongside vehicles from major automakers such as SAIC, GAC, Seres, and Audi.

"A truly intelligent car deeply integrates generative AI into both the smart driving system and the cockpit," said Wang Xiaogang, chairman of SenseAuto."This not only enhances the safety of assisted driving but also imbues each vehicle with a unique and engaging 'soul'."

SenseAuto, a company specializing in AI models for vehicles, has already deployed its assisted smart driving solutions in seven models across four major Chinese car manufacturers. In the realm of intelligent cabins, SenseAuto has partnered with over 30 car companies, with its systems integrated into 3.6 million vehicles by the end of last year.

A recent McKinsey report highlighted the strong recognition Chinese brands have garnered among consumers for their brand appeal and intelligent technologies in the electric vehicle sector. The report suggests that foreign brands may find it challenging to seamlessly transfer the strong reputations they built in the era of fuel-powered vehicles to the rapidly evolving smart electric vehicle market.

Robotaxis coming closer

The robotaxi, a self-driving vehicle that provides on-demand transport without a human driver, is also experiencing growth in China.

Pony.AI, which went public on Nasdaq in November, unveiled its seventh-generation robotaxi models developed in collaboration with Toyota, BAIC, and GAC. These models are now in mass production. This mass production capability is expected to reduce Pony.AI's total robotaxi costs by 70 percent, enabling L4-level fully unmanned driving across various scenarios. The company has already accumulated 500,000 hours of fully unmanned operation in diverse conditions across Chinese cities, including Shanghai, achieving a safety record reportedly ten times better than human drivers.

Momenta CEO Cao Xudong announced the company's plans to launch its robotaxi system by the end of this year, utilizing existing models and lidar technology to significantly reduce costs. He emphasized that the system, rigorously tested in Chinese urban environments, can be readily adapted to overseas regions such as Europe and Japan without relying on high-definition maps, stating that "Chinese road conditions are ten times more complex."

He added that Momenta's autonomous driving system has been adopted in 130 car models globally, compared with only one model in 2022.

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL), the world's leading vehicle battery supplier, showcased its super-fast charging batteries at the event, featuring upgraded battery management systems with enhanced safety features.

"The increased charging speed does not compromise safety," a CATL official told Shanghai Daily. "Our intelligent management software effectively prevents potential risks such as overheating and fire."