Core Viewpoints - The article presents eight key viewpoints regarding the performance and evaluation of autonomous driving technologies, particularly focusing on the comparison between Horizon's HSD and Li Auto's VLA systems [3]. Group 1: Performance Evaluation - The experience with Horizon's HSD during a 1.5-hour test drive was notably better than the current production version of Li Auto's L7 VLA, although future production versions may not match the engineering version's performance [3][5]. - The evaluation of HSD's performance is limited due to the lack of comprehensive safety assessments and the variability of experiences across different locations [3][7]. - The HSD system demonstrated good vertical control, but its performance can vary significantly based on the city and driving conditions [6][7]. Group 2: Technical Comparisons - Horizon employs a VA-style end-to-end approach, while Li Auto utilizes a VLA-style end-to-end system, with the naming being a mere distinction [9][10]. - The VA-style end-to-end system is perceived to have advantages in user experience due to current limitations in computing power and bandwidth faced by the VLA approach [6][12]. - Li Auto's decision to pursue VLA for mass production is seen as a bold move, but it comes with challenges related to resource allocation and the need for higher computational requirements [11][12]. Group 3: Industry Outlook - There is a prevailing belief that many autonomous driving operators will eventually converge in capabilities, with only a few manufacturers able to survive without in-house development of autonomous driving technologies [3][11]. - The article suggests that manufacturers lacking self-research capabilities in autonomous driving may struggle to adapt to the evolving smart vehicle industry [3][11]. - The future landscape of autonomous driving will likely see a concentration of capabilities, with differentiation becoming increasingly important as the industry matures [3][11].

Core Viewpoints - The article presents eight key viewpoints regarding the performance and evaluation of autonomous driving technologies, particularly focusing on the experiences with Horizon's HSD and Li Auto's VLA systems [2]. Group 1: Performance Evaluation - TOP2 found the Horizon HSD software experience during a 1.5-hour test drive in Hangzhou to be significantly better than the current production version of Li Auto's L7 VLA [2]. - There is a possibility that the production version of Horizon's software may not perform as well as the engineering version experienced during the test [2]. - The evaluation of autonomous driving systems is limited by the number of test experiences, as a few tests cannot generalize performance across different regions [3]. Group 2: Technical Architecture - Horizon employs a VA-style end-to-end system, while Li Auto uses a VLA-style end-to-end system, with the naming being a minor distinction [3][9]. - The current technological landscape suggests that VA-style systems may have advantages in user experience due to existing computational and bandwidth limitations [6]. - Li Auto's decision to adopt a VLA-style system is seen as a courageous move, as it requires significant resources and presents various challenges [14]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - The future landscape of autonomous driving operators is uncertain, with a prevailing belief that only a few companies will survive, particularly those capable of self-developing their technologies [4]. - Companies lacking self-research capabilities in autonomous driving may struggle to adapt to the evolving smart vehicle industry [4]. - The article emphasizes that autonomous driving is not merely a selling point but a differentiating capability that can lead to high market concentration due to low marginal costs [4]. Group 4: User Experience Insights - Feedback from Horizon personnel indicated that the performance of their systems in extreme weather and complex scenarios is generally average, highlighting the need for comprehensive testing [5][6]. - The experiences reported during the test drives varied significantly based on the vehicle models and their respective chip capabilities, indicating that performance can be inconsistent [7]. - The article suggests that the perception of Horizon's HSD performance may be overly positive due to selective testing locations and conditions [8].