Written by | Chen Hao, Yu Jie
Produced | Automotive Sankei
"Where there is any insight, how much loss has been suffered before."
Talking about the industry's eye-catching cooperation between BAIC and Huawei in 2017, Liu Yu (deputy general manager of BAIC Group and chairman of BAIC Blue Valley) said that this decision, which now seems very forward-looking, is not because of any superhuman insight, but because of years of trial and error, and "eating a lot of losses" condensed judgment.
BAIC BJEV was established in 2009, and it can be said that BAIC has grown in the pure electricity route almost synchronously with the entire industrial chain for more than a decade.
"Most of the battery companies we have cooperated with, and it is from the time when they first had orders, when there was no national norm."
In addition to batteries, small electric vehicle parts, motor systems, large to charging pile standards, BAIC and many suppliers have worked together to develop research and development standards, manufacturing standards, and slowly formed existing technical specifications.
Liu Yu said that these are the know how of BAIC BJEV. "We have mastered these things, suffered losses, and precipitated. It's a good experience to know that the next step in this thing won't go short. ”
During this period, BAIC BJEV experienced a journey of pure electric vehicle sales for 7 consecutive years, until 2020 ushered in a turning point.
Experience with lessons, twists and turns follow the achievements, after going around, the Jihu brand has become a new attempt by BAIC in the era of electric vehicle intelligence.
A bold, eager, lowered attempt.
"If your business is strong enough, it should be on the whole industry chain (layout). Now there are still enterprises to buy ore, along the industrial chain upwards. When the scale of your enterprise is not so large, you can't have more layout for an industrial chain, you may have to choose to have more partners. Every business (strategy) is different, we are a small business. ”
On the afternoon of March 24, Liu Yu answered the question of soul theory with the above words, probably answered countless times.
Big and small is a relative problem.
Compared with the source of the soul theory, SAIC Motor, BAIC is a relatively small volume. However, in the three decades of development of China's automotive industry, BAIC is recognized as one of the top ten car companies. No one would see BAIC as a small business.
The expression "small business" actually reflects Liu Yu and BAIC's real panic, anxiety and awe about the era of change like "Pandora's Box".
"In fact, the more we do the car now, the more ideas we have, and after more, we hope to have more strength to strengthen." If we can't do it ourselves, we look for a good one. But what is presented to the consumer is a good car. This is the ability to panic. ”
Liu Yu said that the dream of making a good car makes BAIC "desperately" want to find its peers, such as Huawei and Magna.
This is how "small businesses" live in the big times.
When we asked, "If someone says that BAIC is becoming more and more like a foundry, do you mind?" ”
Liu Yu replied without thinking, "You can say whatever you want, just do it when you're done." ”
NO.1
[Why is it late?] ]
In April 2021, the new HI version of the Polar Fox Alpha S was unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show, which was equipped with a road test video of Huawei's autonomous driving solution (ADS), which caused a sensation.
However, the high-end autonomous driving model, which was originally scheduled to be delivered in March this year, has not been delivered in the industry's long-awaited anticipation.
Liu Yu feels that for this intelligent enough leading model, the warm-up of a year in advance is not long.
"Artificial intelligence is actually not artificial intelligence, it is artificial stupidity. You teach him what to do and what he does... There are a lot of scenes, a lot of special parts, to be developed one by one. There is a lot of preparation in the early stages. ”
In addition, Liu Yu said, "I think it is still necessary to be dedicated." ”
"The process of this product development is intensive. We've done a lot of testing, and now the cars we're running on the road are doing generalization tests, inviting different groups of people, engineers, internal users, executives... Nearly 200 vehicles, all kinds of cars. And, "The more I go, the more I feel like we have to test again." ”
Repeated testing is to avoid "the biggest anxiety – sudden problems".
For example, if suddenly there is a viewing angle that is unsafe, just in the middle of the two lines of lidar; or if emergency braking is necessary, when the braking power of the road surface drops on a rainy day, what should I do?
Liu Yu said that in the current state of the industry, the traffic conditions are complex, there are too many weather and road emergencies, involving human lives and matters, we must use the heaviest means of perception to ensure the safety of consumers and driving.
In addition to providing three lidars with a high computing power of 400t, the Polar Fox Alpha S HI Edition adopts a dual redundancy scheme in operations such as steering brakes.
"In case you suddenly have a problem with the chip in the automatic driving state, our car machine can quickly take over, and double redundancy is for safety."
Once a new car is delivered, the cost will be heavy in the event of a sudden problem. This is unacceptable for traditional car companies that have always been cautious and conservative and safety first.
"We have been with Huawei since 17 years, and we have invested a lot of technical strength in doing this thing, and I believe that under different technical routes, everyone will be able to distinguish between high and low."
The good news is that the Polar Fox Huawei Edition will soon usher in the delivery moment.
Liu Yu believes that 2022 will be the first year of China's high-end autonomous driving. In addition to the Polar Fox, many brands will launch high-end autonomous vehicle models.
"Yesterday also said that we are going to participate in all the test races on autonomous driving this year. This is also the ability to test the car, to go with our peers and friends PK. ”
NO.2
[I also quarreled with Huawei]
According to the "old people" of Huawei and BAIC, when the two sides cooperated in 2017, the material basis was several PPT, and a loud slogan - two strivers partners, a world-class good car.
There are two factors that made Polar Fox and Huawei decide to stand together:
First, "even for this kind of innovation in high-level autonomous driving, or assisted driving, it feels that the direction is right." "Second, to lay out the future, it is not enough to rely on the accumulation of one automotive company/ICT company.
"At that time, the leaders of the two companies had a profound insight into the future industry and their understanding of themselves." Liu Yu evaluation.
In 2017, the electric vehicle market was still the main driving stage of policy subsidies.
"People are actually not optimistic, no one is investing in more products." But at that time, BAIC, which had stepped on many pits, had already thought very clearly, "Electric vehicles are a carrier, a hotbed, and it can give birth to a larger world." ”
That year, Liu Yu was also engaged in the research and development of fuel vehicles in BAIC.
Later, taking over baiqi independence, Liu Yu realized that unlike the research and development of fuel vehicles, which considered reliability and safety and durability more, the speed of incubation and application of new technologies on electric vehicles would be incomparable to the former.
In short, on the basis of common goals and several PPT, Polar Fox and Huawei began a reckless entrepreneurial cooperation.
"We can't tell whether the employees are Huawei's or BAIC's, because a lot of definitions must be made together." Our model is a partner model, not what is said about Party A and Party B. ”
Liu Yu said that no one in the two teams dominates anyone, and most things are done cooperatively.
Of course, there will also be quarrels.
On the day of the interview, Liu Yu said that they had just finished a meeting the day before. "But after the argument we will think about what to do next, who will overcome what difficulties, how you will help him."
Regarding "difficulty", Liu Yu gave an example:
Lidar has high requirements for the angle and height of perception. Some of them have to hide behind the radar, and even need to make a negative angle on the outer surface of the car. Such a requirement is like a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE for traditional automotive design engineers.
Liu Yu said that later, the engineers of the two sides, the engineers of modeling, engineering, structure, and pipe exterior decoration, thought of a way to do it together, and finally thought of how to match. "It's a very difficult and painful process."
However, since last year, Huawei's cooperation in the automotive industry can be described as "blooming everywhere", and the Beiqi Polar Fox, which first ate crabs, seems to be taking away Huawei's aura.
The industry cares, but Liu Yu is not worried.
"There is a saying that each flower into each eye, the same raw materials, everyone's approach is not the same, the application is different, the focus is also different."
NO.3
[Don't "East Shi Gong"]
"I think some of the concepts of traditional manufacturing are backward, and the ability to define products based on consumer demand or based on scenarios is to a certain extent inferior to that of new car manufacturers, which is an objective fact."
In the interview, I was asked why the new brands incubated by traditional car companies are not as popular as Wei Xiaoli. Liu Yu replied very bluntly.
But at the same time, he believes that behind this is because the operating rules of new car manufacturers and traditional car companies are fundamentally different.
Like BAIC, the operation of traditional car companies is based on a mature architecture driven by system strength, resource allocation, productivity and so on. Rather than being dominated by the number one person.
Liu Yu said, "What we would prefer is to have our own team called enterprise development, you don't have the capital to establish that image, I am a practitioner in the automotive industry." Otherwise, it is easy to apply the effect of the east. ”
However, the failure to imitate does not mean that traditional car companies will lose their position in the tide of change.
In the interview, Liu Yu mentioned the 16% theory.
The market popularization law of a new technology is: at the beginning, the innovators in the industry are the first to accept the new technology, when the penetration rate reaches 2.5%, the early users enter the market; when the early users and innovators work together to increase the market penetration rate of the new technology to 16%, the new technology will pass the early promotion stage and enter the popularization stage, which will be an avalanche of rapid development stage, and mass consumers will run into the market.
Since the fourth quarter of last year, electric vehicles in major cities have crossed the early market stage of 16% and entered the popularization stage. This phase is characterized by the fact that the needs of users begin to become more diverse. For example, some require a degree of intelligence, but there are also more and more people who have the first requirement for quality.
At this stage, it provides an opportunity for traditional car manufacturers to catch up.
In September last year, a media outlet waded through several electric vehicles. The Polar Fox Alpha S excelled in wading experiments with a water depth of 0.8 meters and a water surface exceeding the height of the tire. The power battery and the car hardly have any water ingress, and easily pass the test.
Liu Yu said that most consumers may never have the experience of wading in the water. There are some things you do a lot of work for, but consumers can't recognize quickly.
However, "Don't be anxious, the brand is a product, you say you can see it immediately, that's called looking at the brand, not the brand." ”
NO.4
[ Postscript]
Liu Yu is a post-75 young hero in baic's newly formed leadership team last year, and after taking office, he drastically adjusted the organizational structure and established a cross-company project team... Pragmatic style.
This pragmatism is in line with the directness and honesty of his personality.
For a long time, the outside world has a title for Liu Yu, called "Fire Captain". This means that he will always be pushed to the "front line" in times of crisis. Just like the head of the independent special class of BAIC Group in 2020 and the chairman of BAIC Blue Valley in 2021, he is in charge of the most important autonomous sector and the most important new energy vehicle business.
But when Liu Yu heard this title, he waved his hand and said, "You have to save the fire first." ”
Can the imminent delivery of the new HI version of Alpha S make BAIC's dream of a time of great change become loud? Let Polar Fox get a pass to mainstream brands?
Can Liu Yu's "firefighting operation" be successfully implemented?
In this battle.
Right: Liu Yu, deputy general manager of BAIC Group and chairman of BAIC Blue Valley
Left: Chen Hao, assistant president of E-Car and editor-in-chief of Auto Industry and Economics Network
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