The "new forces" have already "aged"—where does the future of smart cars ultimately lead?

Image source: Visual China

The automotive market has seen dramatic shifts and transformations, but in recent years, the new forces in car manufacturing—once regarded as promising newcomers by both capital investors and industry insiders—have already moved beyond their initial nurturing phase, gradually becoming established "legacy" players. Meanwhile, a fresh wave of brands is rising to prominence. SAIC unveiled its new brand, IM Motors, in November, while Dongfeng's Lantu FREE also made its official debut not long ago. Earlier, Zhu Huarong, Chairman of Changan Automobile, revealed that the company is collaborating with Huawei and CATL to jointly develop a brand-new high-end, intelligent vehicle lineup. Meanwhile, the physical entity of Great Wall Motor’s ambitious “SL Project” has recently come into the spotlight.
Electrification and intelligent technologies, after several years of trial runs, seem to have become commonplace—but on this track, there’s no fixed formula for how exactly to move forward. So far, the automotive industry’s exploration of electrification and intelligent features has already gone through three distinct phases: The first was SAIC’s earlier collaboration with Alibaba to launch the “Internet Car” initiative, which dramatically heightened automakers’ awareness and emphasis on vehicle-infrastructure connectivity like never before.
Second is the rise of new automotive forces like NIO, XPeng, and Li Auto, which have started from scratch to rebuild their products and reshape consumer perceptions. Third is the initiative taken by this new wave of traditional automakers. Although the first wave of intelligent innovation actually began with established automakers, it’s clear that back then, such innovations were primarily focused on in-car infotainment systems and advanced driver-assistance features—there wasn’t much emphasis on truly transforming or reimagining the car itself as a smart, tech-driven platform. However, inspired and "educated" by the second wave of these innovative newcomers, these companies—with their deep technological expertise and robust resources—are now eager to start anew, tackling everything from the ground up. To achieve this, they’re collaborating closely with industry leaders like Huawei and Alibaba, aiming to fully realize the vision of user-centric, software-defined vehicles. For instance, the newly launched IM Motors, according to its roadmap, will leverage SAIC Group’s independently developed core technologies in electric powertrains, intelligent manufacturing capabilities, distribution channels, and delivery services. Meanwhile, Zhangjiang Group and Alibaba will contribute their cutting-edge AI and chip technologies, along with Alibaba DAMO Academy’s advanced big-data solutions. IM Motors also plans to continuously attract fresh investors, who could further strengthen its ecosystem and unlock new opportunities across various domains. In January of next year, IM Motors will unveil its first two models—Model A and Model B. By the end of 2021, the company aims to roll out point-to-point autonomous driving capabilities for specific road segments. Additionally, the vehicles will feature groundbreaking functions such as “Automated Valet Parking” and seamless, “zero-intervention” autonomous driving tailored for all scenarios.
Additionally, the brand’s future operating model will be maximally "user-driven." A portion of IM Motors' equity will be held by employees, and to encourage users to share their data, the company will also adopt incentive mechanisms identical to those offered to its staff. While it’s true that returning to the "first principles" of business means grounding all actions and product strategies in users’ genuine needs, for traditional enterprises burdened with legacy challenges, seamlessly integrating refined manufacturing processes with diverse consumer demands remains an uncertain and formidable hurdle.
For instance, You Zheng, Deputy General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Group, described Avatr Cars as "a new force in automotive manufacturing," highlighting how it combines the strengths of traditional automakers—such as robust quality control—with the innovative capabilities of up-and-coming EV brands. However, Avatr's first model, the Avatr FREE, still bears many hallmarks of conventional car design. Aside from featuring an in-cabin facial recognition system and being equipped with 24 sensors that enable 20 advanced driver-assistance functions, the vehicle doesn't seem to showcase any truly groundbreaking innovations or particularly bold, game-changing ideas.
On the other hand, is the software-defined car the future of the automotive industry? This is certainly a question worth exploring. Gao Hong, President of Polestar Automotive China, previously shared his thoughts on this very topic with the author, noting, "Compared to traditional vehicles, the biggest difference in electric cars lies in their level of digitalization. Today, this advanced digitization already enables most products to achieve a high degree of intelligence—though ultimately, it depends on your automotive design philosophy: How far do you want to push that intelligence?"
Currently, in terms of technology, today's automobiles have the potential to achieve truly groundbreaking and disruptive innovation—especially in areas like intelligence and software. But do these innovations actually align with what users want? Is it the software itself that should define this, or are they ultimately driven by human needs? Gao Hong suggests that his answer leans more toward the latter.
How to proactively anticipate people's needs and craft a unique brand identity may well become the key differentiator among vehicles, especially as automotive intelligence and software capabilities increasingly converge in the future. Today, automakers are placing ever-greater emphasis on the user experience—an experience that extends far beyond the car itself, seamlessly weaving through every stage of the consumer journey, from awareness and purchase all the way to after-sales service.
For instance, Polestar’s car-buying experience spaces are designed to evoke a minimalist style—both in their spatial layout and overall ambiance. During the experience phase, cutting-edge interactive installations powered by augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies are employed, paired with an artistically curated product component configurator that transforms the way users engage with and appreciate the vehicles. After all, while data and technology may feel impersonal, a brand’s warmth and distinctive personality are what truly set it apart—and these could very well become the key attributes that ensure a lasting impression in the coming era of smart automobiles.

Translated from Sina Auto

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