Xpeng Appoints AI Chief Xianming Liu to Lead Autonomous Driving Division
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng Motors has appointed Xianming Liu as the new head of its autonomous driving center, effective immediately. This leadership change was announced via an internal letter on October 9. Liu, who previously led Xpeng’s “World Foundation Model” project and joined the company in March 2024, replaces Liyun Li, who will remain with the firm in a different capacity. Liu holds a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and brings significant industry experience from former roles at Meta and Cruise. His appointment underscores Xpeng’s strategic focus on integrating large foundation models into next-generation intelligent driving systems, leveraging his expertise in machine learning and computer vision. This reshuffle follows the departure of former vice president Wu Xinzhou to Nvidia in 2023 and occurs amidst intensifying competition among Chinese automakers in AI-driven assisted driving technologies. Xpeng plans to highlight its progress in large-scale foundation models at its upcoming AI Technology Day next month. The move signals the company's commitment to advancing its technological edge in the rapidly evolving smart vehicle market by aligning its autonomous driving initiatives with cutting-edge artificial intelligence developments.
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Xpeng Appoints AI Chief Xianming Liu to Lead Autonomous Driving Division
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Xpeng Motors has appointed Xianming Liu as the new head of its autonomous driving center, effective immediately. This leadership change was announced via an internal letter on October 9. Liu, who previously led Xpeng’s “World Foundation Model” project and joined the company in March 2024, replaces Liyun Li, who will remain with the firm in a different capacity. Liu holds a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and brings significant industry experience from former roles at Meta and Cruise. His appointment underscores Xpeng’s strategic focus on integrating large foundation models into next-generation intelligent driving systems, leveraging his expertise in machine learning and computer vision. This reshuffle follows the departure of former vice president Wu Xinzhou to Nvidia in 2023 and occurs amidst intensifying competition among Chinese automakers in AI-driven assisted driving technologies. Xpeng plans to highlight its progress in large-scale foundation models at its upcoming AI Technology Day next month. The move signals the company's commitment to advancing its technological edge in the rapidly evolving smart vehicle market by aligning its autonomous driving initiatives with cutting-edge artificial intelligence developments.
TechNode