Gasgoo Munich- On October 27, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, currently on a state visit to China, toured Volkswagen Group China Technology Co., Ltd. (VCTC) in Hefei, Anhui province. Horizon Robotics founder and CEO Yu Kai attended and delivered remarks, briefing the presidential delegation on the progress of the Horizon-Volkswagen partnership in intelligent driving.
Image Credit: Horizon Robotics
During the visit, the Steinmeiers test-drove two Volkswagen models: the FAW-Volkswagen ID.AURA T6 and the SAIC Volkswagen ID.ERA5X. Both vehicles feature an all-scenario driving assistance system developed by CARIZON — the joint venture between Volkswagen and Horizon Robotics. Deeply empowered by Horizon's Journey 6H chip and HSD AI foundation model, the ride gave the delegation a firsthand feel of Sino-German collaborative innovation in smart driving.
Image Credit: Horizon Robotics
Horizon Robotics and Volkswagen Group established their strategic partnership in 2022 and formed the CARIZON joint venture the following year. Since 2026, the collaboration has entered its volume-production phase: starting in the third quarter of this year, CARIZON's all-scenario advanced driving assistance system will be rolled out across seven new electrified models from Volkswagen's three Chinese joint ventures. In July, the two sides further deepened their partnership in AI foundation models, accelerating the push toward L3 and L4 autonomous driving.
From joint R&D to scaled production, and from complementary strengths to mutual gain, Horizon Robotics says it will continue to team up with Volkswagen — blending China's AI innovation energy with Germany's deep automotive heritage. The aim is to forge a benchmark for Sino-German industrial cooperation and jointly power the global smart transformation of vehicles. The German president's personal test drive has now thrust the fruits of the Horizon-Volkswagen partnership into the high-profile spotlight.
