"YFtech will continue to deliver products that provide exceptional experiences and accelerate industry transformation towards smart technologies, creating cost-effective platforms to help our clients reduce costs and increase efficiency."
On May 25-26, the 2023 Qualcomm Automotive Technology and Partnership Summit was successfully held in Suzhou. YFtech's Product Director, Xiong Zhilong, was invited to attend and delivered a keynote speech on "Key Technologies and Trends in Integrated Cockpit and Driving Systems in the Era of Digital Intelligence." He highlighted YFtech's innovative applications and core functionalities of their integrated cockpit and parking solutions.
The summit, themed "Intelligent Connectivity, Enabling All Things," was co-hosted by the Suzhou High-Speed Rail New City Administrative Committee and Qualcomm. It showcased over sixty innovative solutions and applications based on the Snapdragon Digital Chassis, attracting more than 120 industry chain companies and 1,300 ecosystem partners and professional attendees. Industry leaders such as Meng Pu, Chairman of Qualcomm China, Nakul Duggal, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Automotive at Qualcomm Technologies, William Li, Founder and CEO of NIO, and Ding Lei, Founder and CEO of HiPhi, gathered to discuss new blueprints for intelligent connected vehicle development.
Breaking Through Intense Competition: Embracing Intelligent Transformation
By the end of 2022, China had led the world in new energy vehicle production and sales for seven consecutive years. As the electrification phase progresses, the focus is shifting towards intelligent technologies. The beginning of 2023 saw a fierce price war in the Chinese automotive market, leading to a brutal reshuffling phase.
Xiong Zhilong noted, "Competing on price alone isn't sustainable; after enduring extensive price wars, cost reduction and efficiency improvement have become essential."
Behind these dramatic changes, the foundational conditions for automotive intelligent transformation have quietly matured. Advances in EE architecture, AI, big data, and cloud computing have laid a solid foundation for deeper intelligence. The decreasing costs and increasing performance of core hardware and software like domain controllers, sensors, and operating systems have accelerated this trend.
On the market side, new energy vehicle sales grew by 93.4% year-on-year in 2022, with L2-level and above intelligent driving features penetrating 29.7% of the passenger car market.
"Price competition may be the short-term norm, but in the long run, as smart transformation deepens, we hope and believe that the industry's competition will shift from price to value."
From Horsepower to Computing Power: The Path of Transformation
"Automotive intelligence is following the path of smartphone innovation," Xiong Zhilong said, noting that China's automotive intelligence is already globally leading. Industry visionaries are looking to smartphones for inspiration, driving the shift from horsepower to computing power.
Companies like Qualcomm are propelling rapid iterations of vehicle EE architectures on a two-year cycle, from the first-generation distributed architecture to second-generation domain architecture, third-generation cross-domain integration, and the upcoming fourth-generation central computing solutions.
In recent years, market demand has driven the pursuit of user experience as the industry's main theme. Service-oriented architecture (SOA) has become prevalent, transforming automotive R&D from vehicle-centered functionality to human-centered scenario definitions. Functional iteration cycles have accelerated from years to months, quickly responding to market changes.
The intelligent cockpit has become the forefront of automotive intelligence. In 2022, the pre-installation rate of intelligent cockpits in Chinese passenger cars reached 39.89%, with the single-vehicle value of intelligent cockpits growing by 390%. Driven by favorable factors, intelligent cockpits are continuously evolving towards more refined scenarios and cost optimization.
Creating an Intelligent Cockpit Platform: Making Cars True Companions
What role can YFtech play in advancing automotive intelligence?
Xiong Zhilong emphasized two main objectives: creating products with exceptional experiences to accelerate industry transformation, and developing cost-effective intelligent platforms to help clients reduce costs and increase efficiency.
Over the past two and a half years, the YFtech team has refined the industry's leading Integrated Cockpit and Parking Solution 1.0. Utilizing a Qualcomm 8155 chip, it supports four cameras, multiple displays, and twelve millimeter-wave radars. It integrates the capabilities of Smart Cockpit 1.0 and Super Parking 1.0, aiming to create an intelligent cockpit platform that makes cars true companions.
Perception is the foundation of human-vehicle interaction. "Superior user experience relies on an in-depth understanding of scenario needs," said Xiong Zhilong. He detailed the innovative experiences offered by Smart Cockpit 1.0, such as seamless login with Face ID, personalized settings upon entry, and the use of gesture recognition commands for more convenient interactions compared to touchscreens.
As large central control screens become standard, multi-tasking and multi-screen modes, including simultaneous display, different content display, and screen linkage, offer users a smooth and intuitive experience. With inherent hardware advantages in sound and display, the car's interior can provide immersive entertainment experiences like in-car gaming, cinema, and karaoke.Mobile office capabilities turn the car into an instant meeting room, balancing work and travel seamlessly.
YFtech's intelligent vehicle connectivity technology has achieved comprehensive coverage of domestic smartphone models, enabling a seamless integration between smartphones and vehicles. With mutual hardware support and shared ecosystem resources, services follow the user, ensuring a smooth transition when entering or exiting the vehicle.
Home and vehicle interconnectivity is also a reality, allowing control of smart home devices through the vehicle's system, so you can take care of your home even when you're away, making your arrival more comfortable.
Beyond comfort, the intelligent cockpit is equally dedicated to safeguarding travel safety. Driver monitoring systems act as a vigilant guardian, providing smart warnings and interventions to prevent fatigue driving. Passenger monitoring systems alert for children, pets, and items left behind, proactively mitigating risks.
Cutting-Edge Super Parking: Practical and Convenient
As an essential smart driving assistance function, intelligent parking has emerged as a standout feature.
YFtech's Super Parking 1.0 covers over 180 mainstream parking types and supports head-in parking. For unconventional spaces, AR custom parking assists users in navigating with ease.
In narrow spaces, a simple tap on the central or mobile screen enables effortless automated parking, eliminating the awkwardness of tight parking scenarios.
YFtech's innovative AVM&APA interface provides both viewing and parking functionalities. In narrow roads, users can switch to the panoramic view to judge accessibility, and the system will automatically switch to parking mode upon detecting a space.
"Our real-world performance is industry-leading," said Xiong Zhilong, noting that Super Parking 1.0 achieves a 97% parking spot recognition rate and a 95% success rate, with an average parking time of 37 seconds, slightly better than leading industry benchmarks.
Continuous Evolution for Mass Production: Making Intelligent Driving Accessible
Building on the success of Integrated Cockpit and Parking Solution 1.0, which utilizes only 35% of the Qualcomm 8155 chip's AI capability, YFtech is developing more advanced features on the same hardware configuration. This has led to the iteration from 1.0 to 2.0, enhancing both the Intelligent Cockpit and Super Parking functionalities.
Intelligent Cockpit 2.0 features an upgraded GPT voice interaction model, significantly improving voice interaction capabilities. The 3D UI interface has been fully upgraded, incorporating more realistic interactive methods, and navigation has advanced to lane-level HD navigation, ensuring users never miss a turn.
Super Parking 2.0 further optimizes AVM and APA performance, reducing average parking time to under 35 seconds and increasing the success rate to 97%. It will also support the AVP function.
Mass production is the ultimate test of technological innovation.
YFtech's Integrated Cockpit and Parking Solution 1.0 was first mass-produced in collaboration with GAC in late 2022. From mid-2023 to 2024, six more models featuring this solution will be launched. Future capabilities of Solution 2.0 will be delivered via OTA updates. As the most trusted partner for intelligent vehicle clients, YFtech remains committed to driving deeper innovation through larger-scale mass production.
"An integrated cockpit and driving solution lacking smart driving features is incomplete," said Xiong Zhilong. Based on in-depth market understanding, YFtech has introduced two integrated cockpit, driving, and parking solutions.
Solution 1.0 employs a dual SOC approach for quick market entry, while Solution 2.0 uses a single SOC for higher performance, better integration, and greater cost-effectiveness.
Both solutions feature Intelligent Cockpit 2.0, Super Parking 2.0, and Intelligent Driving 1.0, focusing on essential functions like ACC, LCC, and AEB to make smart driving accessible.
Addressing cost reduction and efficiency improvement, YFtech's integrated solutions offer significant savings compared to separated architectures. The Integrated Cockpit and Parking Solution can reduce costs by over 600 yuan per vehicle, while the Integrated Cockpit, Driving, and Parking Solutions 1.0/2.0 can save 1,000/1,500 yuan respectively, providing exceptional value while delivering advanced smart experiences.
As the new wave of technological revolution and industrial digital transformation progresses, the automotive industry's core technologies, business models, and ecosystem are undergoing profound changes. Amidst the push for cost reduction and efficiency improvement, automotive intelligence is moving into deeper waters.
Looking ahead, YFtech will continue to focus on the automotive electronics industry, leveraging its technological strengths in intelligent cockpits, body electronics, smart driving, and intelligent electrification. By collaborating with partners like Qualcomm, YFtech aims to drive industry transformation, enhance user experiences, and help intelligent automotive clients seize new development opportunities.