At this year's Beijing Auto Show, on Huawei's booth, senior car companies came to find out, talked deeply about Huawei's electric drive, felt Huawei's radar and smart cockpit, and listened to Huawei's cloud services. There are indications that Huawei will become an indispensable supplier in the future automotive industry. Recently, Xu Zhijun, the rotating chairman of Huawei, once again faced the media, revealed Huawei's ambition and solved some doubts in the market.
Xu Zhijun is a famous "straight man" in the circle. In front of the media, he showed three personalities, similar to the three styles in Huawei: direct, efficient and self-improvement.
In the face of auto media specials, Xu Zhijun directly answered "no answer" to questions about Huawei's mobile phones and other businesses; He can answer questions in one sentence, and the second sentence is absolutely nonsense, responding to every question efficiently; Facing the industrialization and supply of 7nm chips on MDC, Xu Zhijun is not worried. "Let's run out of stock first. After 2022, what's the hurry! "
■? ICT extends to cars, and Huawei can do it!
What can Huawei do in its auto business?
Before discussing what Huawei's auto business can do, we must be clear about what Huawei wants. Huawei is interested in the value brought by the sustainable update of automotive software in the era of software-defined automobiles. The intelligence of future cars depends on software. As long as the basic requirements of hardware are sufficient, any intelligent function can be defined and upgraded by software.
Xu Zhijun believes that software-defined automobile is the key to the integration of ICT industry (information and communication technology) and traditional automobile industry. In the completely driverless car in the future, the software will not be bought and sold with a single hammer, but will be continuously upgraded through OTA like a smart phone after buying a car to enjoy a better experience. In this process, the traditional business model of buying and selling between parts manufacturers and car companies is no longer suitable, and new business models must be created to cope with the future of the automobile industry.
In the middle is Xu Zhijun, the rotating chairman of Huawei.
Therefore, Huawei's automobile business is giving full play to its technological advantages in the ICT field, and automobile-related business is an extension of Huawei's original ICT business.
So, how did Huawei build a car? The first is to change the vehicle development structure. Let Huawei do complicated things.
In Huawei, automotive-related business departments constitute Huawei's smart car solution BU. The goal of Huawei's automotive business is to bring the digital world into every car based on the technology accumulation in the ICT field and adhering to the strategy of "platform+ecology". The premise of all this is to change the architecture of automotive intelligent network.
A year ago, Xu Zhijun proposed that the intelligent networked automobile architecture should move from EE architecture (electronic and electrical architecture) to CCA architecture (computing and communication architecture). The purpose is to simplify and integrate the complex distributed architecture of existing automobiles, manage dozens or even hundreds of ecus in layers and groups, minimize the coordination among ecus, and change the development of automobiles from local parts (or assemblies) to vehicle-level development.
Under CCA framework, vehicle development can be divided into mechanical layer, high-voltage battery electrical layer and low-voltage component layer (sensors and domain controllers, etc.). ), software layer (including entertainment and autopilot operating systems, etc. ), application layer (cockpit and autopilot applications, etc. ) and cloud service layer from bottom to top.
Based on this concept, Huawei introduced three domain controllers (intelligent cockpit, intelligent driving and electrification platform) and three operating systems (HarmonyOS operating system HOS, intelligent driving operating system AOS and intelligent vehicle control operating system VOS).
Around the intelligent cockpit, Huawei has HarmonyOS operating system HOS, vehicle ecological platform and intelligent hardware platform, including cockpit module, vehicle intelligent screen and AR-HUD. Based on AOS and VOS, Huawei has MDC intelligent driving computing platform and MDC? The core can cover a variety of intelligent driving application scenarios such as passenger cars, commercial vehicles and work vehicles from L2 to L4.
Xu Zhijun said: "We strive to install these parts or systems in cars in early 2022, so that everyone can experience this experience." He believes that as long as the architecture is well designed, pure electric vehicles can completely evolve into driverless cars in the first stage of their lives. Of course, this pure electric vehicle should have the necessary radar, camera and computing center.
"Huawei Smart Car Cloud Service includes four major projects"
On the top floor, there are Huawei smart car cloud services, including autonomous driving cloud services (Huawei? Octopus), high-precision map cloud service, vehicle networking cloud service and V2X cloud service, and there are several sub-projects under each project.
Autopilot cloud service helps customers build a one-stop closed-loop solution driven by autopilot data; The Internet of Vehicles cloud service has newly launched service capabilities such as three electric cloud services, OTA and intelligent value-added services; High-precision map cloud service will build a high-precision dynamic map aggregation platform; V2X cloud service empowers rich V2X business scenarios and builds an intelligent networked cloud brain through the newly released cloud control platform.
How powerful is this cloud? Give a few understandable examples.
Autopilot cloud makes the actual vehicle road test mileage equivalent to 1 year, and it only takes 1 day and a half to run in the simulation system; Huawei, which has the Grade A qualification of navigation electronic map production, aggregates national high-precision map partners through high-precision map cloud to build the most extensive map data service capability; In terms of batteries, Sandian Cloud can diagnose the health status of batteries in real time and realize the early warning of battery safety.
■? Huawei is "gathering"
In Hall E2 of 2020 Beijing Auto Show, Huawei's non-car business booth is the most lively. ADS intelligent driving, intelligent cockpit, intelligent vehicle cloud service and intelligent network connection are all displayed, including millimeter-wave radar and camera.
In terms of intelligent cockpit, Huawei exhibited on-board modules, 8-inch ultra-low reflective display screens, cockpit microphones and high-definition cameras. Huawei mPower's overall solution includes vehicle charging system, motor controller, battery management system, three-in-one electric drive system, all-in-one electric drive system and DC charging module.
"Huawei ultra-low reflective screen"
There are two highlights, one is the MDC intelligent driving computing platform, and the other is the three-in-one all-electric drive.
The day before the auto show media, Huawei smart car solution BU? Li Zhenya, general manager of MDC product department, officially released MDC? 2 10 and MDC? 6 10 can provide computing power of 48 TOPS and 160TOPS respectively, and provide economical and practical computing power resources for L2+ and L3-L4 autopilot. Together with the previous MDC600 and MDC300, Huawei MDC has formed a series of products.
"Huawei releases a new generation of MDC series products"
Xu Zhijun said, "Huawei MDC can support everything (referring to all control systems of automobiles). The main body of MDC is an artificial intelligence NPU plus a general computing CPU, which have powerful computing power together. The hardware of MDC and its current capabilities can complete all the calculations and controls in the car. "
It is reported that the MDC launched by Huawei before? The computing power of 600 is too strong (up to 350TOPS), which exceeds the needs of users, so MDC? 6 10。 MDC may launch a new series of products in the future.
"This year's goal (referring to autonomous driving) is to achieve 1000 km without intervention on urban roads, which is very leading in the world. We are making every effort to build such an intelligent driving system, or an automatic driving system. " Xu Zhijun said.
"Huawei has more than 50 MDC partners"
It is worth noting that around the MDC series products, Huawei has begun to "gather circles" again.
At present, Huawei MDC has cooperated with more than 50 OEMs, Tier 1, application algorithms, sensors, actuators and other customers and ecological partners to realize intelligent driving solutions based on Huawei MDC in passenger cars (above L2), commercial vehicles (smart heavy trucks, port logistics) and work vehicles (unmanned mine cards, unmanned distribution). Schaeffler, Sidi Zhijia, Momenta, Heduo Technology, Rong Yuan Qi Hang and Neolithic are all important partners of Huawei.
Three-in-one and all-in-one electric drive systems are more concerned by vehicle companies. On the day before the Beijing Auto Show, Huawei secretly held an industry promotion activity. In addition to the electric drive system, there is also a centralized display and explanation of vehicle charging system and battery management system.
Huawei's integrated electric drive system is the first power domain solution with hyper-converged architecture in the industry. It integrates six parts: motor controller (MCU), permanent magnet synchronous motor, reducer, vehicle charger (OBC), voltage converter (DC/DC) and power distribution unit (PDU), and supports the fusion of BMS software algorithms. Just two months ago, Huawei registered Huawei Electric Technology Co., Ltd. in Guangzhou. The company was established to sell charging systems, electric drive systems, battery management systems and other related products.
Huawei sales staff introduced: "Our electric drive system uses motor oil cooling. The whole system is designed by Huawei itself and manufactured by outside manufacturers. " With oil cooling, the overall volume of the motor will be reduced by 15%, but Huawei did not disclose the OEM.
"Huawei Vehicle Charging System"
"Huawei Vehicle Charging System"
On the Media Day of Beijing Auto Show, dozens of companies including GAC, Geely, BYD, Weilai and BAIC visited Huawei's booth successively. At the same time, Xu Zhijun also led the team to communicate with Chang 'an and other enterprises. Close communication has laid the groundwork for China's next business expansion. It is reported that Huawei's "three-in-one" products have received orders from the OEM; "All-in-one" products will be the first to be applied to BYD models, and it is expected to be mass-produced next year. Huawei, which is gathering in the circle, is only a moment away from the outbreak.
"Senior officials of Geely R&D Institute visited Huawei booth"
■? Solve the doubts from the industry
Huawei's automobile business has a fundamental principle, which is to concentrate limited resources on some core products and ecology. Huawei will adhere to the strategy of "platform+ecology" and create a new blue ocean for intelligent driving. However, although Huawei is open enough, not all enterprises can enter Huawei's "circle".
At present, Huawei's "friend circle" is really not small. However, there seems to be no new force to build cars. Is Huawei unwilling to cooperate with the new forces that build cars? Xu Zhijun responded that "intentionally or unintentionally" the new force of making cars is new, but Huawei is also very new in automobile business, but the two sides have not yet reached the intersection point.
"It won't exclude the new force of making cars," Xu Zhijun stressed.
From the strategy of automobile business cooperation, Huawei has opened up enough space, built a platform, and integrated enough rich businesses, so that customers can request on demand. "There are thousands of ways to cooperate, and different car companies have different ideas, just as it is not a standard for girls to choose husbands." Xu Zhijun is like this.
Different car companies will have different choices based on their own capabilities and strategies, and some customers will develop completely based on the platform; Some customers will go further, such as joint development by both parties; Some customers will choose Huawei hardware. Huawei should meet their various needs. When an OEM chooses Huawei, each component can be selected independently. For example, Huawei cloud services, the sub-items under each cloud service can also serve customers separately.
"Huawei lidar and various sensors"
With the deepening of business and the intensification of global competition, Huawei's automobile business faces five problems.
First, does Huawei's automobile business need or can be made into the scale of Bosch's automobile business?
Xu Zhijun gave a very interesting answer. "We haven't understood the meaning of Tier 1. If customers have demand, we will make products that meet the demand. As for how big the business can be, it depends on the ability of this team. " Huawei's technology and capabilities accumulated over the years can adapt to the intelligent networked car scene, which is indeed a strong backing for Huawei's future development.
Second, how big is Huawei's smart car solution BU?
The entire team of Huawei's automobile business has reached more than 4,000 people, and each component is a department. Xu Zhijun explained, "Every car solution is related to Huawei's traditional ICT business, and it is based on an extension of the original industry to meet the scene of intelligent networked cars." For example, the Pad business extends to the field of intelligent cockpit; Millimeter wave radar originated from wireless product line.
Third, how to deal with the demand for 7nm chips?
"MDC6 10 is a 7-nanometer chip. These parts will really be on the road until after 2022. There are still two years, enough for us to deal with. " Xu Zhijun said. Regarding the issue of chip supply, Huawei has not denied the current difficulties, but it will not be afraid of them. Huawei is ready for the changes in the market.
"Huawei's full range of sensors"
Fourth, can Huawei drive smarter than Tesla?
"We don't do bottom-level intelligent driving, and lidar is just the starting point." Xu Zhijun said. Although the industry has done a good job in visual algorithms after years of efforts, there is still a ceiling. Although Tesla does not use lidar at present, it only relies on visual computing, but this cannot deny the technical advantages of lidar.
Xu Zhijun said that in the road scene of China, there is no problem that can't be solved by lidar. Huawei should stick to the fusion perception route of lidar+millimeter wave radar+visual analysis. "As long as the plan is done well and the cost is higher, it doesn't matter, we can earn less."
Fifth, when will Huawei's auto business start to make profits?
"The most effective way to make a profit is to close it." Xu Zhijun said. It is reported that Huawei's automobile business will spend more than 500 million US dollars in 2020. If you want to pursue profits, you'd better put this 500 million dollars in your pocket. The development of automobile industry is regular, and the time period is very long. Huawei will not consider the profitability of the auto business team in the short term, but will break even in the long run.
Xu Zhijun said: "Every industry in Huawei has a development curve, from project development to current profit, and then to accumulated profit. This cycle averages eight years. Therefore, we are also patient with the development of the automobile industry. "
Editor's summary:
At this year's Beijing Auto Show, Huawei attracted much attention. Some people even think that Huawei is attacking Bosch, the world's largest parts company. For the competition with Bosch, Huawei believes that the current business overlap is not high. We also asked Bosch. Bosch said that it has been communicating with Huawei, and the specific cooperation content is inconvenient to disclose. On Huawei's booth, there are also many former Bosch employees. Although Huawei is a latecomer, he knows the essence of the automobile industry. Cross-border innovation cannot be divorced from the essence. It is still necessary to rely on people, cooperation and agglomeration to make Huawei's technology into automotive products. Be patient, otherwise Huawei will really become a new star in the field of auto parts in China. (Text/car home? Liu Honglong)