Lei Jun: 2026 to Be the Breakthrough Year for L3/L4 Autonomous Driving and Embodied AI Models

Lei Jun, a National People's Congress deputy and founder of Xiaomi Group, stated during the Two Sessions that 2026 will mark the "inaugural year" for L3/L4 autonomous driving and embodied general-purpose AI models. He noted that advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) will accelerate significantly, and humanoid robots are poised to become the next disruptive product following smartphones and new energy vehicles. Lei submitted five proposals covering areas such as the development of general-purpose humanoid robots, improvements to traffic safety systems, and cultivating interdisciplinary talent for the automotive industry. He emphasized that humanoid robots are currently still in the "apprentice" stage and must overcome engineering implementation challenges, reduce costs, expand application scenarios, and strengthen safety standards. Additionally, he highlighted that the rapid advancement of intelligent vehicles presents new challenges for traffic governance, urgently requiring unified technical standards, optimized driver training and assessment systems, and enhanced multi-stakeholder collaboration alongside public safety awareness campaigns.