Gasgoo Munich- On March 3, iCAR and Horizon Robotics jointly staged a smart driving technology launch event, revealing for the first time the production-ready iCAR V27 equipped with Horizon Robotics' HSD (Horizon SuperDrive) full-scenario advanced driver assistance system.
Image source: Horizon Robotics
At the core of the V27 is Horizon Robotics' Journey 6P chip, delivering 560 TOPS of computing power per unit and paired with 27 high-precision sensors, including LiDAR. Built on Horizon Robotics' in-house BPU Nash architecture and optimized for Transformer-based large-model inference, the platform adopts a single-stage end-to-end structure designed to process perception inputs and generate driving trajectories with minimal latency.
According to company data, the system's response speed is 42% faster than the average human driver. Through deep coupling of longitudinal and lateral control, it reportedly reduces over 90% of abrupt braking and unnecessary steering corrections. Trained on extensive high-standard professional driving datasets, the system is also said to demonstrate strong defensive driving capabilities.
By combining its single-stage end-to-end framework with a vision-language model, HSD is designed to operate without reliance on high-definition maps. The system can interpret complex road features such as reversible lanes and chained U-turn signage, enhancing its ability to generalize across diverse urban environments.
The V27 also introduces a navigation-free “roaming mode,” enabling autonomous route planning. In demonstration tests, the vehicle navigated narrow alleyways and intricate tunnel systems in Chongqing's Hongyadong area at night, while also handling Beijing rush-hour traffic and winding mountain roads in Lijiang with stable car-following, automated lane changes and unpaved-road cruising. For parking, the company cites a 97% success rate and an average maneuver time of 32 seconds.
The iCAR V27 is scheduled to go on sale nationwide on March 13. It marks the first mass-production application of Horizon Robotics' HSD system in the rugged, boxy SUV segment, signaling the company's push to bring high-level driver assistance into more lifestyle-oriented vehicle categories.
