Core Insights - 2024 is a significant year for autonomous driving companies, with 15 firms planning to go public, indicating strong market interest and potential growth in the sector [1] - The financial performance of these companies varies, with some achieving substantial revenue growth while others remain in the investment phase [2] Group 1: Financial Performance - Horizon Robotics achieved a revenue of 2.384 billion yuan in 2024, a 53.6% increase year-on-year, with a net profit of 2.347 billion yuan [3] - Black Sesame Intelligence reported a revenue of 474 million yuan, up 51.8% year-on-year, with a net profit of 313 million yuan [3] - Both companies, despite their profitability, reported adjusted net losses of 1.681 billion yuan and 1.304 billion yuan respectively, indicating ongoing financial challenges [4] Group 2: R&D Investment - R&D investment is a significant concern in the industry, with Black Sesame's R&D spending reaching 1.435 billion yuan, a 5.3% increase from 2023, and Horizon's R&D investment at 3.156 billion yuan, a 33.4% increase [4] - Horizon's R&D expenditure accounted for 132.4% of its total revenue, highlighting the heavy financial burden of innovation in the sector [4] Group 3: Market Trends and Challenges - The L2 level assisted driving function installation rate in new energy passenger vehicles reached 67.8% in 2024, a 12.5 percentage point increase from 2023, indicating growing market adoption [3] - The L4 level autonomous driving market, represented by Robotaxi services, is experiencing slower development compared to L2, despite significant policy support and market potential [5][7] - Small Horse Intelligent and WeRide reported revenue growth of 4.35% and a 10% decline respectively, with both companies still in a loss-making position [6] Group 4: Future Outlook - The Robotaxi market is projected to reach 488.8 billion yuan in China by 2030, indicating substantial future growth potential [7] - Small Horse Intelligent aims to achieve breakeven on a per-vehicle basis by 2025, emphasizing the need for expanded operational scale to support high R&D costs [7]