Core Insights - The Chinese automotive market in 2025 is experiencing an intense "arms race" in smart driving technology, with leading players believing that smart driving is the "soul" of the car and must be developed in-house [2][5] - Yu Kai, founder of Horizon Robotics, presents a contrarian view, suggesting that smart driving will become a standardized "functional value" product, similar to the communication "baseband" in smartphones, leading most car manufacturers to abandon in-house development in favor of purchasing mature solutions [2][5] - Horizon's latest computing solution, the "Journey 6" series, has been adopted by major automakers like Li Auto, BYD, and Chery, validating Yu's "baseband theory" [2][5][16] Industry Dynamics - The automotive industry is at a crossroads, questioning whether a "vertical empire" or an "open alliance" model will be more sustainable in the second half of the smart vehicle era [3] - Horizon Robotics aims to be an indispensable "arms dealer" in the industry rather than competing for the "soul" of the vehicle [6][12] Strategic Positioning - Horizon's strategy focuses on providing a high cost-performance and deeply integrated service platform through parallel development of software and hardware [7] - Yu Kai's philosophy emphasizes that the future of car manufacturers should focus on creating "emotional value" rather than duplicating standardized technologies [5][12] Historical Context - Yu Kai's journey into deep learning and his decision to focus on chip development over software during the founding of Horizon Robotics reflect his contrarian approach [9][10] - The company's initial struggles and subsequent strategic pivot to focus solely on the automotive sector were crucial for its survival and growth [10][11] Future Outlook - Horizon Robotics aims to become a reliable "baseband" supplier in the autonomous driving field, with a roadmap predicting significant advancements in automation over the next decade [12][13] - The ultimate goal is to create an open, integrated computing platform that empowers various robotic applications beyond just automotive [14][15] - The success of Horizon's "baseband" strategy will depend on its ability to establish itself as an industry standard amidst competition from top chip suppliers and tech giants [16]