Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun is gearing up for the launch of the company’s first electric vehicle (EV), scheduled to be unveiled in just two days, as he continues to emphasize Xiaomi’s commitment to smart driving capabilities.
In a recent Weibo post, Lei reiterated Xiaomi’s focus on smart driving, stating, “Smart driving is the key battleground for smart electric vehicles.” He highlighted Xiaomi’s significant investment in this area, with the company’s smart driving research and development (R&D) team now exceeding 1,000 people and expected to surpass 1,500 by the end of the year.
Lei emphasized Xiaomi’s rapid progress in smart driving technology, noting that the company’s EV will come standard with high-level features such as highway pilot assisted driving, one-touch valet parking, and smart parking assistance.
“We aim to enter the industry’s top tier within 2024,” Lei wrote, underscoring Xiaomi’s ambitious goals in the EV market.
Xiaomi’s smart driving R&D team has accumulated over 10 million kilometers of road testing, and the company conducts full-stack in-house research for smart driving technology.
The upcoming Xiaomi SU7, set to be officially launched on Thursday, March 28, will feature a driver assistance system with two options — Xiaomi Pilot Pro and Xiaomi Pilot Max.
Xiaomi’s entry into the EV industry has been marked by rapid progress, including the acquisition of DeepMotion Tech Limited, an autonomous driving technology company, in August 2021. This acquisition has helped expedite Xiaomi’s R&D progress in the smart driving space.
Lei’s vision for Xiaomi in the EV market is ambitious, with the company aiming to become one of the top five global car makers in 15-20 years. With the launch of the SU7 and its focus on smart driving technology, Xiaomi is positioning itself as a key player in the evolving EV landscape.
