Volkswagen Group announced its plans to equip new cars built for China with AI “agents” starting in the second half of this year, aiming to enhance their technological offerings and compete with rapidly advancing Chinese carmakers. This initiative is part of Volkswagen’s “In China, for China” strategy, which focuses on local research and development and aims to introduce over 20 new electrified vehicles by 2030. The AI agents, developed in collaboration with Horizon Robotics, will offer advanced features such as complex decision-making and autonomous tasks, like making restaurant reservations and organizing parking. This move reflects Volkswagen’s commitment to reposition itself as a leader in the electric vehicle market within China.
Yu Kai: Yu Kai is the Founder and CEO of Horizon Robotics, a Chinese firm specializing in automotive AI chips. He emphasized that the agentic AI developed with Volkswagen will expand from premium vehicles into the mass market. His remarks came during the announcement of the technology’s rollout in China-built cars.
Oliver Blume: Oliver Blume is the CEO of Volkswagen Group. At a Beijing event before the Auto China trade fair, he announced the company’s aggressive product and tech roadmap for China, stating ‘We are back’ to signal renewed competitiveness. He stood alongside partners to unveil the AI agent integration as part of the largest electric mobility push in the market.
Horizon Robotics: Horizon Robotics is a leading Chinese developer of AI chips and software for smart driving and advanced driver assistance systems in vehicles. It is partnering with Volkswagen Group to power onboard AI agents capable of complex decision-making and intuitive interactions. The collaboration aims to bring advanced AI to mass-market cars using its automotive chip technology.
Volkswagen Group: Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automaker focused on passenger vehicles, electrification, and intelligent mobility solutions. It plans to introduce onboard AI agents in new cars built for the Chinese market from the second half of this year, using its China-specific electronic architecture to enable human-like interactions and complex tasks. This move supports its ‘In China, for China’ strategy of localized R&D, faster development, and partnerships to compete with local players in digital features and EVs.
Ralf Brandstaetter: Ralf Brandstaetter serves as Member of the Board of Management for China at Volkswagen Group and Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen Group China. He demonstrated the AI agents’ potential by describing how vehicles could search for top restaurants, make reservations, navigate, and arrange parking autonomously. His comments highlight Volkswagen’s shift toward a China-tailored electric and intelligent vehicle lineup ahead of the Auto China show.
Partnership: Volkswagen collaborates with Horizon Robotics to integrate agentic AI into Chinese vehicles for enhanced user experiences.
Market Strategy: Volkswagen’s ‘In China, for China’ initiative emphasizes local R&D, partnerships, and a dedicated EV offensive to match Chinese competitors’ digital and electrification pace.
Technology Upgrade: AI agents surpass basic voice assistants by handling tasks like restaurant bookings, navigation, and parking autonomously.