Gasgoo Munich- Speaking at the 2026 Xuanyuan Automotive Blue Book Forum, XPENG Chairman He Xiaopeng offered a revised timeline for high-level autonomous driving. He argued that while he once believed Level 5 autonomy was unattainable in his lifetime, his view has shifted. Achieving Level 4 software capability by 2028 is now highly probable, he suggested, while an early form of Level 5 could emerge around 2030.
Image source: XPENG
This optimistic revision stems from a re-evaluation of AI R&D paradigms. He conceded that it wasn't until last year that he truly grasped the "flywheel effect" driven by "data as fuel." Since restructuring the AI development model, the pace of evolution in autonomous driving has accelerated roughly sixfold.
Addressing the company's recent rebranding to "XPENG Group," He explained that the move reflects a reassessment of business boundaries for the next decade. In his view, automotive and robotics capabilities are undergoing radical changes and deep integration; a group designation better covers this diversified business layout. Vehicles themselves are shifting from traditional new-energy physical products to a hybrid form where the "physical world" and "digital world" coexist. That shift in understanding directly drove the adjustment of the company's internal structure.
He also pointed out that the core competitive factors of the auto industry are undergoing a fundamental transformation. The entire sector is moving beyond mere electrification into a deeper phase defined by intelligence and robotics. This transition, he believes, will profoundly reshape the industry's future landscape.
