Electric vehicles (EVs) are inherently compatible with smart system architectures. Their high-voltage electrical systems can reliably provide continuous power for LiDAR, high-computing chips, and onboard sensors. Furthermore, the electrification of the chassis facilitates the implementation of steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems, fulfilling the execution requirements of autonomous driving. In contrast, the extensive mechanical modifications required for traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles make retrofitting difficult, which is the primary reason why legacy overseas automakers have lagged in their intelligent transformation.
Recently, the autonomous driving industry has reached a key milestone: Momenta was granted a nationwide L4 autonomous driving testing permit by the German KBA, becoming the first Chinese enterprise authorized to conduct Robotaxi tests across Germany. Given the KBA's stringent regulatory standards, this license directly aligns with unified EU safety regulations, serving as a technical endorsement for the broader European market. Munich will host the first Robotaxi project resulting from the collaboration between Momenta and Uber. Concurrently, capital markets have sent a clear signal: Uber is continuously increasing its stake in Momenta through a wholly-owned subsidiary, upgrading their relationship from technical cooperation to deep equity binding.
Intelligent technologies are no longer confined to high-end models. The MG07 from SAIC Motor is currently taking pre-orders with a starting price of 125,900 RMB, featuring the Momenta R7 world model autonomous driving solution as a standard configuration. This marks the beginning of advanced autonomous driving penetrating the mainstream 120,000 RMB family car segment. Securing access under Europe's highest regulatory standards while simultaneously penetrating the mass consumer market represents the typical development path of domestic autonomous driving companies.
In the medium to long term, the sector will face multiple technological competitions. The 800V fast-charging architecture continues to gain traction, with silicon carbide (SiC) power devices reducing electronic control energy consumption. Semi-solid-state and sodium-ion batteries are also undergoing continuous iterations to resolve pain points regarding range, low-temperature performance, and costs. Meanwhile, prominent industry challenges remain: autonomous driving regulations vary significantly across countries, and data compliance requirements differ vastly. The commercial profitability model for Robotaxis is yet to be proven, and fierce route competition persists among manufacturers' perception solutions (e.g., pure vision vs. LiDAR fusion).
In the long run, the decisive factors in the second half of the EV competition will not be driving range or exterior design, but rather autonomous driving algorithms, digital cockpits, and connected vehicle software capabilities. Automakers will gradually transition from hardware manufacturers to smart mobility service providers, with electrification serving merely as the starting point of this industrial transformation.