Zhong Guo Jing Ji Wang·2025-10-27 04:08Core Insights - The article highlights the journey of Yihang Intelligent, a relatively unknown autonomous driving company, which has successfully navigated the challenges of the industry over the past decade by focusing on practical solutions rather than chasing trends [1] Group 1: Company Background and Strategy - Founded by four technical youths, Yihang Intelligent has adopted a dual strategy of "full-stack technology + engineering mass production" to establish a foothold in the fluctuating autonomous driving market [1] - The company initially focused on L2 level mass production, contrasting with many competitors pursuing the more ambitious L4 level [4] - Yihang's founder, Chen Yuhang, emphasized the importance of survival and securing funding during the company's early days [4] Group 2: Key Milestones - A pivotal moment for Yihang occurred in 2016 when they successfully completed an autonomous driving test from Changchun to Shenyang, which led to investment from Li Auto and the acquisition of their first mass production project, the Li ONE [4][5] - Yihang took over the full development responsibility for the Li ONE project after the original supplier exited the autonomous driving business, reinforcing their commitment to in-house development [5] - The Li ONE became the best-selling model in the domestic new energy vehicle market priced above 300,000 yuan, validating Yihang's engineering capabilities [5] Group 3: International Expansion - Yihang's experience with the Li ONE opened doors for collaboration with international automakers, including Renault, which initially expressed skepticism about the capabilities of a Chinese startup [6] - The company successfully passed rigorous testing for its Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system, which helped dispel doubts and facilitated entry into the European market [6][7] - Yihang's AEB system achieved a five-star rating from the European New Car Assessment Programme (ENCAP), marking a significant achievement for a domestic autonomous driving solution [7] Group 4: Recent Developments - Yihang was invited by SAIC to develop advanced Navigation Assisted Driving (NOA) features for the Maxus G90, becoming the first MPV in China to implement such technology [9][10] - The project was completed ahead of schedule, showcasing Yihang's ability to compete with larger companies in the industry [10] - Following the success of the G90 project, Yihang secured significant funding, including a C-round investment led by BAIC and strategic investment from Horizon Robotics, indicating strong market confidence in their capabilities [10]