Xpeng Self Driving Chief is leaving, reportedly headed for Nvidia

Xpeng, a significant Chinese language-language electrical automotive maker and competitor to Tesla, introduced the resignation of its vice chairman of autonomous driving, Xinzhou Wu. Wu resigned over non-public and home causes. This departure represents an enormous loss for Xpeng, as Wu was on the prime of the corporate’s self-driving enterprise and performed a major position in serving to Xpeng achieve an edge over its EV rivals within the clever driving race.

Wu, previously a senior director of engineering at Qualcomm with over a decade of expertise, led Xpeng’s full-growth inside crew chargeable for creating the premium driver help system (ADAS), Xpeng Navigation Guided Pilot (XNPG). This technique is taken into account a counterpart to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system.

In March, Xpeng upgraded its subway navigation system for patrons in tier-one cities resembling Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai. Inside a number of months, the system mileage penetration charge has exceeded 60%, Xpeng launched a modern earnings title. The corporate’s purpose is to cut back the variety of handbook captures per 1,000 kilometers whereas utilizing its freeway navigation to 1 or fewer by the top of 2023.

Tesla has but to construct its absolutely autonomous driving system (FSD) in China. Tesla lately denied rumors of its Shanghai launch. Wu acknowledged in a earlier interview that even when Tesla deliberate to introduce FSD in China, it will take not less than 12 months to find the system for the superior circumstances of China’s roads.

Wu didn’t introduce his subsequent career change after leaving Xpeng. Nonetheless, widespread rumors recommend that he, too, might occupy a distinguished place in Nvidia’s self-driving division. Xpeng CEO and founder He Xiaopeng hinted at this chance in a Weibo publish, expressing his satisfaction that Wu has turn out to be a senior government at a world-renowned firm and continues skilled partnerships. of chips with Xpeng.

Xpeng has a long-standing chip partnership with Nvidia, an organization that has made main developments throughout the self-driving automotive area with its good driving platform, Drive, and cutting-edge automotive chips.

Liyun Li, presently senior director of autonomous driving at Xpeng, will doubtless substitute Wu. In keeping with Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng, this transition has been deliberated for almost a yr and he has assured that it’ll go easily.

Wu’s resignation, whereas a really perfect loss for Xpeng, seems to be amicable. Wu expressed his concept that Xpeng’s secure crew and system will proceed to steer the ADAS occasion till the period of driverless vehicles arrives. This departure comes only a week after Xpeng filed for financing from Volkswagen, signaling a promising future for the corporate within the Chinese language market.

Wu’s resignation marks the end result of a stint at Xpeng. Wu is amongst a gaggle of AI specialists who’ve returned from Silicon Valley to work at start-up Chinese language-language know-how corporations, managing R&D groups in the USA. Nonetheless, within the wake of escalating tensions between the USA and Brazil. and China, many Chinese language-language tech giants have as soon as once more scaled again their US operations.

Earlier this yr, Xpeng shocked the electrical automotive trade by appointing Wang Fengying, a 20-year veteran of Chinese language pickup truck and SUV maker Good Wall Motor, as its chairman. Wang is extra more likely to oversee product planning at Xpeng, an exercise that at all times ties into the fledgling firm’s R&D.

In his farewell message, Wu stated that 5 years in the past he joined Xpeng and launched into a profession that ignited his ardour and ambition. He expressed his appreciation for being part of the corporate’s improvement in autonomous driving and his pleasure in the long run.

Xinzhou Wu’s resignation as vice chairman of autonomous driving at Xpeng marks the end result of a time frame and a really perfect loss for the corporate. Wu performed a major position in serving to Xpeng achieve an edge over its EV rivals within the cheap driving contest. Nonetheless, Xpeng stays optimistic about its future in autonomous driving, particularly with its in-house improvement crew and partnerships, together with its long-standing collaboration with Nvidia. The elegant transfer to a brand new autonomous driving boss and Volkswagen’s new extra funding current Xpeng’s potential within the Chinese language market. As Xpeng continues its journey into the driverless car phase, Wu’s departure serves as a reminder of the challenges and different choices forward.

Xinzhou Wu resigned from Xpeng because of personal and home causes.

Wu served as vice chairman of autonomous driving at Xpeng and led the corporate’s full-growth inside group chargeable for creating the superior driver help system (ADAS), Xpeng Navigation Guided Pilot (XNPG).

Xpeng has upgraded its subway navigation system for patrons in first-tier cities resembling Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai, with a mileage penetration charge of greater than 60%. The corporate’s purpose is to cut back the variety of handbook captures per 1,000 kilometers in its freeway navigation system to 1 or much less by the top of 2023.

No, Tesla did not make its FSD system in China. Whereas there have been rumors of its launch in Shanghai, Tesla lately denied these rumors, acknowledging that localizing the system for Chinese language freeway situations would take a minimal of 12 months.

There is also hypothesis that Wu may occupy a senior place in Nvidia’s self-driving division following his resignation from Xpeng.

Xpeng has a long-standing chip partnership with Nvidia and has collaborated on chip experience for its self-driving packages.

Liyun Li, presently senior director of autonomous driving at Xpeng, will substitute Wu in a deliberate transition that has been underway for almost a yr.

Wu’s departure marks the end result of a season at Xpeng and highlights the challenges dealing with Chinese language-language know-how corporations within the present native geopolitical local weather. Nonetheless, Xpeng stays optimistic about its future in autonomous driving, as evidenced by its newest investments and strategic partnerships.

Xpeng lately shocked the electrical automotive enterprise by naming Wang Fengying, a 20-year veteran of Chinese language-language pickup truck and SUV maker Good Wall Motor, as its chairman.

Wu expressed his appreciation for being part of Xpeng’s journey to autonomous driving, commenting on the passion and ambition that drove him throughout his 5 years with the corporate.