Chinese EV maker Xpeng to launch robotaxis, humanoid robots with self-developed AI chips

Guangzhou, CHINA — Chinese electrical car institution Xpeng plans to motorboat robotaxis adjacent twelvemonth aft antecedently claiming it wouldn't beryllium a existent business successful the adjacent aboriginal and took the wraps disconnected of its latest humanoid robot model.

Xpeng's exertion propulsion mirrors 1 of its cardinal rivals Tesla, arsenic the Guangzhou, China-headquartered institution looks to presumption itself arsenic much than conscionable an electrical car firm.

The automaker announced connected Wednesday arsenic portion of its "AI Day" that it is launching 3 robotaxi models. The vehicles volition usage 4 of Xpeng's self-developed "Turing" AI chips. Xpeng claims the chips correspond the combined highest in-car computing powerfulness successful the world, astatine 3,000 TOPS, an manufacture measure.

The semiconductors powerfulness Xpeng's "vision-language-action (VLA)" model, present successful its 2nd iteration. This benignant of AI models instrumentality into relationship inputs similar ocular cues that tin assistance with applications similar driverless cars oregon robotics.

Alibaba announced Wednesday that it is partnering with Xpeng connected robotaxis done the e-commerce company's integer mapping subsidiary AutoNavi and Amaps app, which besides includes a ride-hailing portal.

The Xpeng robotaxi includes an outer show of velocity and different accusation connected the vehicle's prima visors.

Xpeng said it plans to commencement investigating robotaxis successful Guangzhou and different Chinese cities adjacent year.

Co-president Brian Gu told CNBC past week that robotaxis volition "ultimately beryllium a planetary phenomenon" but that it would instrumentality clip to get there, particularly fixed regulation. Back successful April 2024, helium cautioned that self-driving taxis wouldn't go a important concern for astatine slightest 5 years.

During a radical interrogation with reporters connected Wednesday, Gu addressed his alteration successful code from past twelvemonth toward robotaxis.

"The tech is happening faster than we anticipated," Gu said.

He noted that the AI developments and the important summation successful computing powerfulness "give america the assurance we are adjacent the inflection point" for robotaxis.

Xpeng's strategy for robotaxis is to marque 2 categories of cars: 1 for commercialized self-driving shared vehicles, and different for afloat autonomous idiosyncratic cars that whitethorn beryllium lone shared among household members.

Similar to Tesla's propulsion into humanoid robots, Xpeng connected Wednesday announced its ain version, the second-generation Iron robot. The Chinese institution plans to statesman wide accumulation of the robots adjacent year.

During a presumption connected Wednesday, CEO He Xiaopeng downplayed the likelihood that the humanoids volition soon beryllium usable successful households, and said it was excessively costly to usage them successful factories fixed the debased terms of labour successful China. Instead, helium said the robots volition archetypal beryllium utilized arsenic circuit guides, income assistants and bureau gathering guides, opening successful Xpeng facilities.

He said that helium doesn't cognize however galore robots Xpeng volition merchantability successful the adjacent 10 years, but it volition beryllium much than the fig of cars.

The humanoid robot uses 3 of Xpeng's Turing AI chips and a solid-state battery, with plans for customization options for aspects of the merchandise similar assemblage signifier and hairsbreadth style.

Xpeng Co-President Gu said connected Wednesday that the institution has been processing immoderate exertion earlier Tesla but has not been arsenic vocal successful promoting it.

"What we are pursuing from a tech and merchandise perspective, determination are immoderate similarities with Tesla…There are immoderate areas that we astir apt started earlier than Tesla," Gu said, referring to flying cars and humanoid robots.

Xpeng has developed a flying car product.

But Gu acknowledged that Tesla has done a amended and much high-profile occupation astatine sharing its commercialization plans, which Xpeng has not done arsenic overmuch until today.