Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the transformative journey of Li Auto in the autonomous driving sector, highlighting the shift from skepticism to a strong commitment to AI-driven end-to-end solutions, culminating in the successful launch of the "end-to-end + VLM" system, which significantly boosted sales and market presence [1][6][42]. Group 1: Strategic Shift - In March 2024, Li Auto's CEO, Li Xiang, expressed dissatisfaction with the company's autonomous driving performance, emphasizing the need for a decisive shift towards end-to-end technology [2][8]. - The introduction of the "end-to-end + VLM" system in July 2024 marked a pivotal moment for Li Auto, allowing the company to transition from a follower to a leader in the autonomous driving space [3][4]. Group 2: User Reception and Sales Impact - The "end-to-end + VLM" system received overwhelmingly positive feedback during initial trials, leading to a significant increase in user engagement, with 65% of test drives featuring the new technology by October 2024 [5][6]. - By the end of 2024, the delivery share of models equipped with the AD Max system (featuring the new technology) reached 75.4% in the 300,000+ yuan segment and 84.6% in the 400,000+ yuan segment, a dramatic increase from just 20% earlier in the year [6][50]. Group 3: Team Dynamics and Development - The autonomous driving team at Li Auto faced anxiety and uncertainty at the beginning of 2024, but the successful implementation of the end-to-end system led to a turnaround in morale and performance [8][12]. - Li Auto's strategy involved rapidly expanding its autonomous driving team from around 600 to over 1,000 by the end of 2023, although this expansion initially did not yield the expected results [9][10]. Group 4: Technological Innovation - The end-to-end approach allowed Li Auto to integrate various functions into a single model, enhancing efficiency and reducing complexity compared to traditional modular methods [57]. - The project was characterized by a rapid development cycle, with the team successfully delivering a demo version of the end-to-end system in just over a month, showcasing superior performance compared to previous iterations [31][52]. Group 5: Data-Driven Approach - The success of the end-to-end project was largely attributed to a robust data-driven strategy, which emphasized the importance of high-quality data over sheer manpower [63][71]. - Li Auto's data collection capabilities were built into every vehicle from the start, ensuring standardized and comparable data for algorithm training, which was crucial for the success of the autonomous driving system [71][72].
理想智驾逆袭往事:端到端的百日冲刺