When we talk about autopilot, we always think of Tesla and Google and other foreign big brothers, but we ignore the "earth snakes" of the Heavenly Kingdoms. In fact, as everyone knows, in 1992 China had born the first truly unmanned car. Over the years, China has made considerable progress in autonomous driving. For the Chinese, when it comes to unmanned vehicles, we have to mention Baidu. His significance to us is just like Google’s significance for the United States. One person, Baidu has been hailed as "the first driver in China," and he is Ni Kai.
Baidu unmanned first personBaidu’s driverless project started in 2013 and is led by Baidu Research Institute. Its technology core is the “Baidu Car Brainâ€, which includes four modules: high-precision maps, positioning, perception, and intelligent decision-making and control. In 2014, Baidu signed a strategic agreement with BMW and the two parties will cooperate in the driverless area. Last year, Baidu unveiled a driverless car for the first time. It was the result of a two-year effort by Baidu's driverless car team and was led by Baidu Research Institute.
Ni Kai is a senior scientist at Baidu Research Institute, leading unmanned and unmanned aircraft projects.
Ni Kai’s resume is very global. Tsinghua University’s Ben Shuo then obtained a Ph.D. in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, one of the best polytechnics in the United States. After graduation, she joined Microsoft and Baidu. Ni Kai has participated in numerous artificial intelligence projects both during school and during work, including Tsinghua unmanned vehicle R&D projects, Microsoft 3D maps and HoloLens augmented reality glasses research and development projects.
Ni Kai was also a member of the Microsoft Robotics team during Microsoft and worked with well-known software designer George Chrysanthakopoulos. The Microsoft Robotics Project was commissioned by Microsoft's founder Bill Gates, a robot development platform secretly developed by a small team led by members of the Bill Gates think tank.
Later, Ni Kai joined Baidu as a technology leader in Baidu's driverless project. Since the establishment of the project, Ni Kai has led the Baidu driverless project and passed Baidu’s four major projects in high-precision maps, positioning, perception, and intelligent decision-making and control. The technical advantages of the module and face recognition have reached the goal of testing on the road in just two years. On December 10, 2015, Baidu unmanned car completed the first autopilot drive test on the Beijing Expressway.
Although Ni Kai has once built Baidu’s unmanned vehicle, his current identity is the vice president of smart driving at LeTV. On March 16, 2016, LeTV announced that Ni Kai, the original owner of Baidu unmanned driving, joined LeTV Automotive, and was the vice president of smart driving of LeTV Super Vehicle (China).
There are many explanations for Nikai’s departure from Baidu. The most reliable one is this: At the end of 2015, Baidu internally reorganized its group structure, established a new unmanned vehicle division and made it clear that it was Baidu’s ultimate goal. First, in the company's internal business segment with the Internet Finance Division, Mobile Services Division, glutinous rice business unit. After this adjustment, the position of the general manager of Baidu's unmanned vehicle division was assumed by Bai Jin, senior vice president of Baidu. According to informed sources, this was the direct cause of the departure of Ni Kai.
Our concern for the cattle is always so much, at the same time, news about Google and Tesla vying to excavate Ni Kai spread in the media.
And if the rumors are true, why did Nikai, who was duped by so many savvy companies, choose LeTV?
The analysis of people in the industry is as follows:
First, LeTV has more complete coverage in the automotive industry chain than Baidu. As the proponent and promoter of the automotive ecology, LeTV announced that the “SEE Plan†has been researching, manufacturing, selling, networking, charging strategy, after-sales service, car sharing and socialized operation of smart Internet electric vehicles in the past two years. The field completed the layout of the entire industry value chain. Second, LeTV has a stronger strategic depth in the automotive industry. After joining LeTV, Ni Kai will gain a broader exhibition space, and the smart driving technology itself will also be integrated into the entire LeTV ecology to achieve cross-border reversal.
At the same time, LeTV’s talent advantage must not be ignored. Prior to joining Nikai, LeTV has attracted a large number of veterans from the automotive industry to join the automotive industry, covering a full range of aspects including business management, manufacturing, technology research and development, and market public relations. It is reported that LeTV has also established a strong R&D team in the field of smart driving. After joining LeTV, Ni Kai was able to get a wealth of collaborative resources and was more capable in technical R&D and application.
In addition, Ni Kai will have more and more rich roles in LeTV. During his time at Baidu, Ni Kai was a senior scientist at the Baidu Deep Learning Institute. Although he is the director of the Baidu driverless project, he has not received the attention and respect of Li Yanhong.
After joining LeTV, Ni Kai, vice president of LeTV Smart Driving (China), will usher in a freer environment and be able to implement his strategic vision. Jia Yueting once emphasized that the strategy determines the organization and the organization determines success or failure. This may also be an important factor in attracting Ni Kai to join LeTV.
LeTV’s Unmanned Vehicle ProgramOn April 20th this year, LeTV held a 4-hour press conference in Beijing. It not only had super TVs, super mobile phones, and supercars, but it also brightened the eyes of many people.
At the press conference, Leighton's chief executive Jia Yueting and co-founder of LeTV Supercar and Vice President of the world Ding Lei unveiled the LeSEE brand's first concept prototype in an easy-to-use manner and demonstrated on the spot. Automated driving function, with the extension of the content service to the automotive field, LeSco ecological and intelligent travel are closely integrated.
The smart car can best embody the intelligent system level. The LeTV App Store car version will open up with LeEui EUI, achieve APP one-click installation, and be highly adaptable to the on-board environment. It is dedicated to integrating more information needed for life in the car scene and Elements, such as news, music, video, payment, car ownership, and illegal information in addition to the basic map navigation function, in addition, the application of multi-screen applications of LeTV App Store will greatly expand the entertainment of the rear seat screen, enabling users to When traveling, you can enjoy a variety of entertainment including videos.
More noticeable is that after LeTV’s 420 press conference, Jia Yueting made it clear that the future of super cars also has the possibility of “free†and is positioned in the “D-class†luxury sedan as a super car. After listing, it will also be a surprising price. Let's see if the super car can repeat the "ecological feedback hardware price" good show, is undoubtedly the most anticipated focus in the future.
After the 420 press conference, someone was full of praise for LeTV's cool concept car, but more people slammed it. Many people think that LeTV is playing a concept. It is still a long way to go for mass production. But anyway, dreams are there. During the creation of driverless cars, LeSports Automotive Ecology also delivered amazing transcripts:
Investment charging pile companies and easy access vehicles
Established a joint venture with Aston Martin Electric Vehicle Company
LeTV's first generation of super cars made by Aston Martin
CES announces strategic cooperation with Faraday Future, an American start-up electric vehicle company
First concept car FFZERO1 unveiled and won numerous international awards
Global R&D layout completed
Cooperated with Beiqi, Dongfeng and BYD to establish a strategic partnership agreement
Super car's first concept prototype debuted at Beijing Auto Show
Established the "FF & Le Future" Artificial Intelligence Institute jointly by LeTV and its strategic partner FF
The LeTV team has already recruited a number of heavyweights: For example, Ding Lei is the former vice president of SAIC and the former general manager of Shanghai General Motors. Currently he is the global vice chairman and executive director of LeTV, and an associate director of China and Asia Pacific. Chief, CEO and President, and concurrently serving as Senior Vice President of LeTV Holdings; FRANK STERZER, former Production Director of FAW-Volkswagen, is responsible for automotive manufacturing related business; Gao Jingshen, former Deputy General Manager of GAC Toyota; and former General Manager of Asia Pacific, Infiniti, Lu Zhengyu All become the company's vice president. Ni Kai has deep accumulation in the field of driverless and deep learning, and can fully play it. With Ni Kai joining, LeTV is expected to make a breakthrough in a short time.
However, the LeTV Supercar, which has been ridiculed by many people, will eventually reach volume production on schedule. The time will be witnesses.
