E2E is increasingly gaining traction in autonomous driving in China

Artificial intelligence E2E is increasingly gaining traction in autonomous driving in China

2024-12-16 From Henrik Bork* | Translated by AI 3 min Reading Time

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Will 2025 be the year of E2E in autonomous driving in China? In any case, it currently appears that this technological route will gain traction among more and more automakers and suppliers in the Middle Kingdom.

In China, E2E is increasingly gaining traction in autonomous driving.(Image: freely licensed on Pixabay) — In China, E2E is increasingly gaining traction in autonomous driving.
(Image: freely licensed on Pixabay)

In "End-to-End" (E2E), data obtained from cameras or sensors—the one end—are analyzed using deep learning and converted into commands for navigating, braking, or accelerating—the other end. Thanks to artificial intelligence and the increased computing power of new car chips, proponents of E2E argue that autonomous driving will become "more human-like," as neural networks, just like the human brain, can not only comprehend complex situations such as construction sites, lane changes, U-turns, or potholes but also issue smoother driving commands than the previously used modular algorithms.

New technological revolution?

Since November 28, drivers of the AD Max model from Li Auto can activate a new, intelligent "End-to-End-plus VLM" solution with a click, which has been wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle via an Over-the-Air Update (OTA). VLM stands for "Visual Language Model".

Just like several other manufacturers, Li Auto is marketing the new driving assistance feature heavily reliant on data and computing power with the label "park-to-park." This approach aims to generate interest without burdening car buyers with too many details from the world of computer science. And Li Auto is not the only manufacturer in China taking this route. "Intelligent driving with End-to-End has suddenly become popular," writes the Chinese business newspaper Cailianshe, questioning whether E2E could spark a new "technological revolution" in the industry even before the mass arrival of autonomous driving at Level 3.

Large models in focus

Tesla was once again the pioneer with this innovation. Besides Li Auto, Xpeng and Huawei Qiankun have already launched E2E solutions on the market. Xiaomi's E2E solution is currently undergoing internal testing. Leapmotor has also developed its own E2E system, which is expected to be available from next year. Mercedes-Benz plans to equip its new electric CLA model with E2E in China from 2025, calling it "L2++".

Software suppliers in China are also beginning to offer corresponding products. SenseAuto, the automotive business unit of SenseTime, introduced a new E2E solution for intelligent driving on November 27th. Black Sesame has announced its own E2E solution for automotive chips in the Huashan and Wudang series. "The large models in artificial intelligence have triggered profound changes in all areas of life, including a significant improvement in production efficiency," Cailianshe quotes Wang Xiaogang, CEO of SenseAuto. A typical example of these changes is that autonomous driving functions with E2E are currently "replacing the traditional rule-based system of autonomous driving," says Wang. "The work of thousands of algorithm engineers writing rules can be replaced by a data-driven large model."

The more this technology is commercialized, the more data would be available, which in turn would continually improve the E2E solutions, proponents argue. "The various data collected during autonomous driving are very valuable when the vehicle changes its behavior in complex situations," says the CEO of SenseAuto.

E2E can be implemented with or without Lidar devices. This varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. While Elon Musk and Tesla rely on "Pure Vision" and some Chinese manufacturers follow suit to save on the still relatively expensive Lidar, data collected with Lidar can certainly be processed "end-to-end" together with data from cameras and microwave radar devices.

More intelligence

One useful attribute of E2E is hard to dispute: large models become increasingly intelligent the more data they can "consume." Li Auto doesn't highlight this in its marketing but describes it to industry journalists as a result of the "rapid data processing and low latency response" of E2E models. "The system's intelligent capabilities are expected to improve over time as it continuously learns and adapts to new driving conditions, making it a better and even safer driving companion." (se)

*Henrik Bork, a long-time China correspondent for the German ' Süddeutsche Zeitung' and the 'Frankfurter Rundschau', is Managing Director at Asia Waypoint, a consultancy specializing in China, based in Beijing.

Automated driving without Lidar but with XNet, XPlanner, and XBrain – that's what the company announced on its AI Day. (Image:Xpeng)

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