Core Insights - Volkswagen is restructuring its software development in China by collaborating with local tech companies Horizon and Xpeng to enhance its intelligent driving capabilities [1][8] - The establishment of the joint venture CARIZON with Horizon aims to develop system-level computing solutions for advanced driving assistance and autonomous driving systems [1][2] - Volkswagen's sales in China have significantly declined from over 4 million units in 2018 to an expected 2.75 million units in 2024, losing its long-standing market leadership [1][8] Group 1: Collaboration with Horizon - Horizon is a key partner in Volkswagen's adjustment, focusing on hardware-software synergy and large-scale production [2] - The joint venture CARIZON will develop Volkswagen's first self-developed intelligent driving chip, with a computing power range of 500 to 700 TOPS, planned for mass production within three to five years [2][3] - This chip will utilize a 3 to 4 nanometer process and will be integrated into Volkswagen's third-generation Chinese electronic and electrical architecture (CEA), with 80% of new cars sold in China by 2030 based on this architecture [2][3] Group 2: Collaboration with Xpeng - Volkswagen's second software route involves a $700 million investment in Xpeng, marking it as the first foreign carmaker to enter the local new energy vehicle market through equity cooperation [4][8] - Xpeng's second-generation Visual Language Action model (VLA) enhances vehicle decision-making capabilities without high-precision maps, with Volkswagen as one of the first partners [4][7] - The VLA model, trained on 30,000 computing cards from Alibaba Cloud, has a parameter scale of 72 billion and iterates every five days, significantly improving the vehicle's ability to navigate complex scenarios [7] Group 3: Strategic Implications - The collaboration with Horizon focuses on building a robust system while Xpeng emphasizes algorithm-driven advancements, creating a complementary relationship for Volkswagen in China [5][7] - The partnerships reflect a shift in the automotive industry's competitive landscape, moving from manufacturing efficiency to system and ecosystem competition [8][9] - Volkswagen's strategy to co-create with local tech firms allows it to adapt to the fast-paced, data-driven environment of the Chinese market, positioning itself to regain software capabilities [8][9]