Exclusive | China’s Xpeng sees licensing of cutting-edge driving and EV technologies as new revenue streams
- Partnerships with other carmakers have enabled Xpeng to offer its technologies and generate revenue, vice-chairman and president says
- Xpeng’s advanced driving assistance software, which is available in more than 240 cities in China, will soon be rolled out internationally
Chinese smart electric-vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng will offer its autonomous driving and EV technologies to other carmakers, allowing the company to generate a new stream of revenue, further its research and development efforts and maintain its technological edge, according to its vice-chairman and president.
“We see more collaborations as the long-term trend, because it’s hard to imagine traditional car manufacturers developing smart driving technologies quickly by relying on their own capabilities,” said Brian Gu in an exclusive interview with the Post on Friday.
Smart driving technology is the future of EVs, he said, adding that recent partnerships with other carmakers have enabled Xpeng to license its technologies and generate economic returns. “I think if you own the leading technologies, there are many ways to monetise them.”
China’s smart EV makers are considered to be technologically ahead of global peers on many counts. Not only are they wowing consumers with longer driving ranges, their cars come equipped with smart cockpits boasting the latest digital advances, smart driving technology and other bells and whistles.
Once the dominant players in China, car giants such as Volkswagen and General Motors are now struggling to keep up with the mainland’s EV makers because of their slow electrification progress.
Xpeng, known for its XNGP (Navigation Guided Pilot) autonomous driving technology, announced last month that it had entered into a framework agreement with Germany’s Volkswagen.
