Major Drone Manufacturer DJI Expands Autonomous Driving Business

Chinese drone giant DJI began developing autonomous driving- related technology in 2016, and had more than 1,000 patents in the autonomous driving-related field as of the end of 2020. Utilizing the experience of vision systems and algorithms cultivated in the drone field, DJI aims to become a Tier 1 supplier in the autonomous driving field.

DJI is developing technologies related to autonomous driving through Livox, whose launch was supported by DJI, and Dajiang Zhuojian, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DJI. Livox develops and produces LiDAR systems. In January 2020, it released a LiDAR system compatible with Level 3 autonomous driving technology, and in June of the same year, it launched another LiDAR system compatible with Level 4 autonomous driving technology. In October of the same year, DJI secured a deal to supply LiDAR system to Chinese truck maker FAW Jiefang’s J7 truck equipped with Level 3 autonomous driving technology. In the passenger vehicle field, at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2021, Chinese electric vehicle startup Xpeng’s P5 model, equipped with onboard LiDAR developed by Livox, was exhibited. The model is scheduled to go into mass production in 2021.

DJI: Timeline of Autonomous Driving Business (As of May 2021)

• 2016:
  Set up in-vehicle business division.
• 2017:
  Carried out testing of autonomous driving system on closed road.
• 2018:
  Acquired approval of connected car testing from Shenzhen city.
• Dec. 2019:
  Began cooperation with Sino-US automaker SAIC-GM-Wuling.
• 2020:
  Completed construction of a laboratory for autonomous driving technology.
• Apr. 2021:
  Introduced its business brand for autonomous driving “DJI Automotive” at the Shanghai auto show.

(Created using company PR materials and various media sources)

Dajiang Zhuojian engages in the development and production of autonomous driving systems and core parts. According to an environmental impact report released in January 2020, the company plans to increase the annual production capacity of millimeter-wave radar at its Shenzhen plant from 36,000 units to 100,000 units in anticipation of future increase in demand. In addition, Dajiang Zhuojian is strengthening its alliance with automakers to expand sales. In addition to developing autonomous driving technology in the field of visual information processing in partnership with VW, DJI announced its plan at Shanghai Auto Show in April 2021 to install autonomous driving system jointly developed with SAIC-GM-Wuling in the automaker’s Baojun brand. Mass production of the model is scheduled to start in 2021.

In April 2021, DJI announced its autonomous driving business brand “DJI Automotive.” DJI Automotive develops and produces autonomous driving systems and related components. Autonomous driving-related parts include vision systems including monocular cameras and binocular cameras, autonomous driving domain controllers and driver monitoring systems (DMS) among other products. In the future, DJI’s autonomous driving technology is expected to expand its use on city roads, highways and parking lots.

DJI: Recent Trends in Autonomous Driving Business (As of May 2021)

Livox

Product launch

・Livox, whose launch was supported by DJI, released two LiDAR products, the HORIZON (retail price 6,499 CNY, detection range within 150m) in January 2020 and the TELE-15 (8,999 CNY, 500m or more) in June 2020. - HORIZON meets requirements for Level 3 autonomous driving and TELE-15 for Level 4 autonomous driving. ・In April 2021, Livox launched an onboard LiDAR for automakers. - It has a detection range of 150m. Mass production is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2021 at the onboard LiDAR plant.

Providing LiDAR to FAW Jiefang

・In October 2020, Livox announced that it would form a partnership with Chinese truck maker FAW Jiefang and its subsidiary Suzhou Zhito Technology. - Livox supplies onboard LiDAR to FAW Jiefang's J7 truck equipped with Level 3 autonomous driving technology.

Alliance with Xpeng

・In January 2021, Livox announced that it would form an alliance in the LiDAR field with electric vehicle startup Xpeng. - Livox supplies LiDAR for autonomous driving to the mass-produced model P5 released by Xpeng in 2021. - The P5 equipped with LiDAR can detect 3D images of surrounding people, animals and vehicles. ・At the Shanghai Auto Show held in April 2021, the P5 equipped with Livox's HORIZON was unveiled.

Dajiang Zhuojian

Capacity Expansion

・According to an Environmental Impact Report released in January 2020, Dajiang Zhuojian raised the annual production capacity of millimeter-wave radar at its Shenzhen plant in Guangdong province from 36,000 units to 100,000 units. It plans to produce 400,000 new onboard electronic devices (details unknown). - The site area of the factory will be expanded from 3,250m2 to 7,490m2. The number of employees will be increased from 30 to 200.

Development

・As of the end of 2020, DJI had more than 1,000 patents in the autonomous driving and related fields. - There are more than 500 people in charge of development in related fields.

Announcement of business brand

・In April 2021, DJI announced its autonomous driving business brand DJI Automotive. - DJI Automotive’s main business is to develop and produce autonomous driving systems and related components. Autonomous driving-related parts include vision systems including monocular cameras and binocular cameras, autonomous driving domain controllers and driver monitoring systems (DMS) among other products. - DJI Automotive’s autonomous driving and parking related products are as follows. - The D80 series is equipped with a 2 million-pixel camera, and the D130 series is equipped with an 8 million-pixel camera.

Alliances

・In January 2021, VW China’s CEO Stephan Wöllenstein revealed that VW and DJI are jointly developing autonomous driving technology in the field of visual information processing. ・At the Shanghai Auto Show held in April 2021, DJI and Sino-US automaker SAIC-GM-Wuling announced that they will collaborate in the autonomous driving business to supply autonomous driving systems to SAIC-GM-Wuling’s Baojun brand. - At this Shanghai Auto Show, DJI and SAIC-GM-Wuling announced the electric concept car “KiWi EV Powered by DJI” (based on Baojun’s new E300). - The mass-produced model equipped with DJI Automotive’s autonomous driving system will be launched by the end of 2021. (Created using company PR materials and various media sources) (LI Li)

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