Li Auto Unveils Embodied Intelligence Strategy: Autonomous Driving First Half, Humanoid Robots Second Half

In 2026, Li Auto officially launched the all-new Li L9, positioning it as the “Embodied Intelligence Flagship SUV.” At a public event, company founder Li Xiang stated that autonomous driving represents the first half of embodied intelligence, while general-purpose humanoid robots constitute the second half. He defined embodied intelligence as physical entities equipped with sensors, models, and processors capable of integrated perception, cognition, decision-making, and action through real-time interaction with their environment. According to Li Auto’s strategic roadmap, the first half—autonomous driving—is divided into three phases: - 2018–2023: Level 2 (L2) combined driver-assistance systems; - 2023–2028: Level 3 (L3) conditional automation; - 2028–2033: Level 4 (L4) high automation. The industry is currently at a critical juncture transitioning into the second phase. The second half—general-purpose humanoid robots—is similarly structured in three stages: - 2030–2035: Achieving generalization capabilities equivalent to a 6-year-old child; - 2035–2040: Reaching the level of a 12-year-old; - 2040 onward, around the time of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) realization: Matching the cognitive and functional abilities of an 18-year-old adult. Li Auto believes that core technologies developed during the first half will directly form the foundation for the second half. To support this strategy, Li Auto is advancing full-stack in-house R&D across five key areas: perception, models, chips, operating systems, and actuators. Its self-developed Mach M100 chip delivers 1,280 TOPS per unit, with dual-chip configurations offering 2,560 TOPS total. Designed natively for AI using a dataflow architecture, related research has been accepted by ISCA 2026, a premier international conference on computer architecture. In 2025, Li Auto invested RMB 11.3 billion in R&D, approximately 50% of which was allocated to AI-related fields; in 2026, this figure is expected to remain around RMB 12 billion. Concurrently, the company has restructured its R&D organization based on the logic of “building silicon-based humans,” dividing it into four major systems: - Visceral System (chips + datasets + OS), - Brain System (perception + models + infra), - Software Body (Agent + toolchain), - Hardware Body (robot hardware). An independent evaluation team has also been established. Currently, Li Auto has initiated development of two robot products: one wheeled robot targeting industrial and commercial applications, and another humanoid robot focused on hardware control precision and durability. The company anticipates that general-purpose humanoid robots will enter the early market around 2030—comparable to the stage electric vehicles were at in 2015. Li Xiang noted that the user overlap between future L4 autonomous vehicle buyers and home robot purchasers is projected to reach 90%, meaning the user base built during the first half will naturally extend into the second. Li Auto is leveraging the transferability of its technological foundation to forge an evolutionary path from intelligent vehicles to general-purpose humanoid robots.