Core Viewpoint - Didi Autonomous Driving has secured a Series D financing round totaling 2 billion RMB, aimed at enhancing AI research and promoting L4 autonomous driving applications [1] Financing Overview - The latest financing round was led by various investors including Zhongguancun Science City Technology Growth Fund and Beijing Information Industry Development Investment Fund, among others [1] - Didi Autonomous Driving has raised over 10 billion RMB across five disclosed financing rounds, with the first round in 2020 led by SoftBank Vision Fund, raising over 500 million USD [2][4] - The company completed a Series C round in October 2023, raising 298 million USD, led by GAC Group [4][5] Technological Focus - Didi Autonomous Driving is focusing on improving the reliability and safety of autonomous driving technology to enable broader application scenarios [6] - The company has initiated full-scene, fully driverless testing in Beijing and Guangzhou this year, with plans to deliver a new generation of autonomous vehicles by the end of 2025 [1][6] Competitive Landscape - The autonomous driving sector is highly competitive, with numerous tech companies and automakers entering the field, posing challenges for Didi [6] - Achieving fully reliable L4 autonomous driving requires overcoming challenges related to complex scenarios and extreme conditions [6] Operational Strategies - Didi has introduced a "mixed dispatch" model allowing passengers to select autonomous driving services through the Didi app, optimizing dispatch based on operational areas [6] - The company has established a 24-hour autonomous driving operation center to enhance operational efficiency [6]