XPeng will use Huawei tech in upcoming electric car

XPeng, a prominent name in the Chinese EV market, announced that it will use a new in-car display system from Huawei. This potential collaboration is quite surprising for one main reason - the two tech giants have not always seen eye-to-eye, especially when it comes to the brains behind smart electric cars.

XPeng took to the Chinese social media platform Weibo, posting a teaser image. The image hinted that one of its upcoming electric car models will sport a Head-Up Display (HUD) engineered by Huawei. According to the details shared, this HUD projects critical driving information directly onto the vehicle's windshield.

XPeng even added a rather bold statement to its post: "This industry hasn't seen any groundbreaking changes in a long time. Change starts now!" The company remained tight-lipped about further specifics, but the poster pointed towards a launch event scheduled for 2:30 pm Beijing time on June 5, where more details are expected.

As Huawei is becoming an increasingly major technology supplier in the booming EV sector, it has naturally found itself in competition with established electric car makers like XPeng.

Back in November 2023, Richard Yu, a top executive at Huawei who leads its consumer business group, claimed that XPeng's Chairman and CEO, He Xiaopeng, didn't fully understand what AEB was all about. Mr. He promptly responded to Yu's comments, starting a widely followed "discussion" across social media platforms, and exposing the ongoing rivalry between the two firms.

Signs of an early thaw in relations appeared earlier this year. In February, Mr. He Xiaopeng shared a photograph of himself with Huawei's founder, Ren Zhengfei. Alongside the picture on Weibo, Mr. He wrote, "It is an honor to learn from and exchange ideas with Mr. Ren." This meeting suggested that perhaps the two companies were finding common ground, or at least displayed a willingness to engage despite past disagreements. With the HUD announcement, it seems that engagement might be turning into a tangible collaboration.

Huawei's strategy in the automotive industry is different from the general approach. The technology giant has repeatedly stated it does not plan to manufacture its own electric cars. Instead, Huawei wants to be a key technology provider to existing automakers.

The company has already partnered with several Chinese car companies to launch new EV brands, embedding its technology deep within these vehicles. Huawei's offerings for the electric car market are extensive, including Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), sophisticated software, LiDAR sensors, and display systems like the head-up display.

What exactly is a head-up display, and why is it a big deal for your next electric car? A HUD projects information directly into the driver's line of sight, usually onto the lower part of the windshield. This means drivers don't have to look down at their dashboard or central console to see vital data like speed or navigation instructions. For electric cars, displaying information like the remaining range and the status of complex assisted driving systems directly in view can be very useful.

XPeng's claim of "groundbreaking changes" might be a touch dramatic for an HUD – the technology itself isn't new – but the real headline here might be the collaboration itself between two formerly frosty competitors. The upcoming announcement on June 5 will hopefully shed some more light on the specifics.

Via