Horizon Robotics, Volkswagen deepen partnership on advanced intelligent driving in China

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On April 7, Horizon Robotics and Volkswagen Group officially announced an expanded collaboration that focuses on advanced intelligent driving technologies, centered around the former's full-scenario smart driving solution, HSD (Horizon SuperDrive™).

As a key enabler of Volkswagen's "in China, for China" strategy, the HSD system will be implemented through CARIZON—the joint venture between Horizon Robotics and CARIAD, Volkswagen's software subsidiary. The strengthened partnership will accelerate the rollout of intelligent driving features across Volkswagen's China portfolio, further supporting the group's transformation into a smart mobility leader in the region.

Photo credit: Horizon Robotics

The cooperation between the two companies began in 2022, marking a pioneering case of a joint venture and deep integration between a global automaker and a Chinese intelligent driving technology firm. In November 2023, the joint venture CARIZON was officially established and now boasts a team of over 500 smart driving engineers dedicated to building industry-leading, fully optimized full-stack solutions. A Level 2+ intelligent driving system, developed based on Horizon Robotics's Journey 6 chip, is already undergoing extensive road testing and is expected to be launched in 2026 with a new compact all-electric vehicle model built on Volkswagen's CEA architecture.

The HSD system, powered by the Journey 6P chip, combines hardware-software integration with an end-to-end software framework to deliver an exceptionally human-like driving experience—balancing high traffic efficiency with smooth, composed handling. Whether navigating complex urban intersections, shared pedestrian-vehicle streets, or challenging scenarios like narrow U-turns and internal park roads, the HSD is designed to respond seamlessly and confidently. The system also features a cutting-edge HMI interface, benchmarked against top-tier 3A video games, offering immersive visualizations of its real-time understanding of traffic environments and behavior of road users, easing human-machine trust concerns and enhancing user experience.

As China's automotive industry enters a critical phase of intelligent transformation, with increasing adoption of advanced driver assistance systems, the deepened collaboration between Horizon Robotics and Volkswagen further integrates their respective strengths in automotive manufacturing and smart driving technologies. This move is expected to help Volkswagen harness the pace of China's innovation and accelerate its local smart mobility evolution.