Report on Emerging Technology Application for Intelligent Vehicle, 2024-2025

Application trends of emerging automotive technologies in 2024-2025
This report studies the corporate trends and new products of smart cockpit, smart driving, body & chassis and energy & power in 2024-2025, summarizes the representative emerging technologies and innovative applications, and discovers more than 50 industrial characteristics.

I. In the field of smart cockpits, emerging display technologies such as smart glass displays, 3D displays, panoramic displays, and invisible displays are gradually being introduced into vehicles.

1) Innovative applications of smart glass

Currently, the intelligence of automotive glass is mainly reflected in dimming, lighting and display, photovoltaics, and communications. Mainly including:
Dimming glass involves electrochromic technology, electronic control technology, suspended ion technology, etc. In addition, NIO has launched a dimmable canopy with basic neutral colors like black and gray.
Smart displays emit light and show animations or symbols to enable human-computer interaction.
Photovoltaic glass is equipped with solar cells, such as the integrated photovoltaic system launched by Webasto that runs through the rear windows and roof.
Glass with integrated antennas and LiDAR embodies a hidden design. In addition, glass with integrated 5G antennas enhances signals by 100%, while UWB solutions using glass can reduce anchor points and significantly cut costs.

2) Invisible displays enhance cockpit design and intelligence

Invisible displays use LCDs as light sources to display information, and allows the light source to pass through special translucent decorative materials attached to the glass cover to display ""invisibly"". In cockpits, invisible displays are mainly used in CIDs, invisible door displays and so on.

II. In the field of intelligent driving, novel sensors and fusion sensors such as thousand-line LiDAR, bionic cameras, and 5D imaging radars have emerged to improve the perception capabilities of AD/ADAS.

1) Launch of thousand-line LiDAR

At CES 2025, Hesai and RoboSense launched thousand-line LiDAR with clearer point cloud to meet the perception requirements of higher-level autonomous driving. Thousand-line LiDAR is expected to enhance LiDAR’s “position” in autonomous driving sensors.

Case 1: Hesai AT1440
At CES 2025, Hesai unveiled its flagship product - AT1440 which is a 1,440-line LiDAR as the name suggests.
AT1440, equipped with Hesai's self-developed fourth-generation chip, adopts high-efficiency photosensitivity and ultra-high parallel processing technology with an angular resolution of 0.02°. It can output extremely high-definition image-level point cloud, more than 30 times higher than the current mainstream automotive LiDAR.
According to the official information, the lidar can even see small potholes on the ground.

Case 2: RoboSense EM4

At CES 2025, RoboSense exhibited the EM4 thousand-line LiDAR for the passenger car market.
The LiDAR has up to 1080 lines and a maximum detection distance of 600 meters. The detection distance can reach 300 meters at a reflectivity of 10%. The field of view is 120°×27°, the angular resolution is 0.050°×0.025°. It can produce images at 25.92 million points per second, which can accelerate the response of the intelligent driving system by 70%.
The new digital architecture and technology optimization enable EM4 to have higher detection capabilities for white vehicles, black tires, traffic cones, highly reflective road signs and other objects, as well as in rain and fog. For example, when facing a white car, the system can make an emergency avoidance or brake to a stop at a speed of 289km/h.

2) Bionic cameras inspire visual sensors

Bionic cameras mimic biological vision systems and are typically used to gain a wider field of view or deeper perception. Advanced vision systems are expected to be used in fields such as autonomous driving, UAVs, and robots to improve image accuracy. At this stage, bionic cameras are mainly in the experimental stage.

Case 1: HKUST’s novel insect-like compound eye system

In May 2024, a team of engineers and robotics experts from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology designed and built an ultra-wide field of view pinhole compound eye system based on an insect compound eye based on a hemispherical nanowire array.
The system combines 3D printing and high-performance photodetector technology to achieve ultra-wide field of view and accurate dynamic motion tracking by designing a unique pinhole array to simulate the arrangement of ommatidia in the insect compound eye system.

Case 2: GIST’s computer vision technology based on feline eyes

In November 2024, the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in South Korea unveiled a novel computer vision system inspired by feline eyes to improve the image clarity and focus of autonomous driving systems in various lighting conditions.
The new system features a slit-type elliptical aperture and patterned metal reflectors to improve object detection and recognition in a variety of lighting conditions.
The design effectively reduces light interference and improves light sensitivity, enabling detection of camouflaged objects in different lightning strikes.

III. In the field of body chassis, 3D printing, integrated die-casting, digital chassis and other technologies further improve vehicle safety and comfort.

1) 3D printing becomes a tool for vehicle styling design

In the automotive industry, since mold manufacturing can be eliminated, 3D printing is usually used in the R&D stage for styling review, design verification, prototyping, parts trial production, concept cars, tooling fixtures, inspection tools, personalized customization, packaging verification, small-batch spare parts, etc.
World-known OEMs such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Toyota, Ford, etc. have extensively adopted 3D printing technology in the research and development stage of automobiles.

Case: BMW uses 3D printing to reduce the weight of robot gripper elements by 20%-30%

In October 2024, BMW shed light on its use of 3D printing for customized robotic grippers at its Lightweight Construction and Technology Centre where gripper elements can weighs roughly 20%-30% less. The BMW Group produces more than 400,000 parts through 3D printing globally every year.

2) Digital chassis improves vehicle control performance

Traditional chassis drive, braking, steering, suspension and other systems rely on mechanical connections and hydraulic systems to operate independently, while digital chassis use digital technology to bring together the various subsystems of the chassis for control, which can better coordinate all systems. In 2024, many OEMs and suppliers such as Huawei and SAIC released digital chassis.

Case: SAIC Lizard Digital Chassis (available on IM L6)

The Lizard Digital Chassis developed by SAIC supports full-cycle OTA and digital iterations. Multiple system control modules such as the four-wheel steering system, electronic shock absorbers, air springs, and electric drives are integrated and controlled, freeing the hardware control strategy from suppliers and achieving rapid iteration through self-development and self-control. Through the coordinated management of the vehicle's three-axis and six-degree-of-freedom motion, joint adjustment and control of dynamic performance in all dimensions can be attained.

The Lizard Digital Chassis empowers IM L6 three capabilities:
Crab walking. The Lizard Digital Chassis features four-wheel steering, allowing the vehicle to ""run rampant"" like a crab and solve problems such as side parking.
Less deviation. On extreme low-adhesion roads such as roads covered by residual snow or rain, the Lizard Digital Chassis can reduce deviation by about 80% compared to its counterparts.
Emergency avoidance. In the case of highway emergency avoidance, the Lizard Digital Chassis can respond 30% faster than the traditional ESP system.

IV. In the field of energy and power, smart batteries have achieved technological breakthroughs, and supercharging and super range extension systems have laned on vehicles.

1) Supercharging systems emerge

High-power supercharging facilities can charge batteries from 20% to 80% in 10 minutes. 2024 is the first year of China's ""supercharging"" development. While the country vigorously supports the construction of basic charging facilities, local governments are also actively promoting the construction of supercharging. Supercharging stations and models that support supercharging are emerging in large numbers at home and abroad.

Case 1: GAC Trumpchi launched a 4C supercharged plug-in hybrid model

At the end of 2024, GAC Trumpchi launched the E9, the first plug-in hybrid model equipped with 4C supercharging technology and the next-generation magazine battery for the first time. The next-generation magazine battery enables ""ultra-fast charging"" and can be recharged to 80% in just 8 minutes. According to actual measurements by staff at the Everest Supercharging Station (technically supported by Huawei), it only takes 7 minutes and 56 seconds to charge from 20% SOC to 80% SOC.

Case 2: Xpeng’s next-generation S5 supercharging stations are available in four cities, supporting driving over 1 km in a second of charging

In September 2024, Xpeng announced the official launch of S5 supercharging stations in four cities: Shanghai, Tianjin, Zhengzhou, and Wuhan. The peak charging power of Xpeng's liquid-cooled S5 supercharging piles can reach 800kW, supporting driving over 1 km in a second of charging. With a maximum output current of 800A and a voltage of 1000V, the charging gun starts in less than 13 seconds.

2) Super range extension technology enables a comprehensive range of more than 1,000 km

As a hybrid technology, super range extenders are designed to provide longer range and lower energy consumption. According to the current technological development trend, the range of the new generation of super-extended-range vehicles is likely to exceed 400 kilometers. According to data, nearly 30 models including Geely, Chery, GAC, and Voyah will be equipped with the black technology by 2025.

Case 1: Deepal Super Range Extender 2.0 was launched

On March 18, 2024, Deepal G318 officially made its debut, equipped with Deepal Super Range Extender 2.0 for the first time. The car accelerates from 0 to 100 mph in 6.3 seconds, with a maximum power of 316kW, and a peak wheel torque of 6200N·m. The battery-electric range is 190Km (CLTC), and the comprehensive range is over 1,000km.

Case 2: AITO released the next-generation super range extension system

On November 15, 2024, AITO released the next-generation Seres super range extension system which highlights quietness, high integration and high efficiency.

The range extension system is based on the ""C2E range extension architecture"" and ""RoboREX intelligent control technology"". C2E is a new highly integrated range extension architecture. Combined with RoboREX intelligent range extension control technology, it changes the working mode of range extenders from passive to active, facilitates intelligent active energy management, reduce the overall fuel consumption by 15% and lowers noise by 90%. The actual efficiency of the range extender exceeds 3.6kWh/L, which is equivalent to 1L of fuel generating more than 3.6 kWh, topping mass-produced range extenders in the industry.

The M9 and the new M7, equipped with AITO's next-generation Seres super range extension system, have a battery-electric range of more than 200km and a comprehensive range of more than 1,200km.


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