Volkswagen Deepens AI Partnership with Horizon Robotics; L3 Autonomous Driving to Launch by Second Half of 2027

Volkswagen Group and Horizon Robotics announced the further deepening of their technical collaboration in the field of AI foundation large models, to be advanced through their joint venture CARIZON. Under a white-box licensing model, CARIZON will leverage Horizon’s AI foundation large model capabilities to independently develop and accelerate the creation of a unified AI-driven driving solution for Volkswagen Group in China. This solution will integrate CARIZON’s in-development system-on-chip C7H and GAIA world-model data platform, enabling the deployment of Level 3 (L3) and Level 4 (L4) autonomous driving capabilities and providing the technological foundation for both passenger vehicles and robotaxi applications. It will also drive continuous upgrades of mass-produced, full-scenario advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The technology stack will be deeply integrated with Volkswagen Group’s first locally developed zonal electronic/electrical (E/E) architecture—CEA—which is adaptable across multiple vehicle platforms and will be deployed on numerous models, widely applied across Volkswagen’s product portfolio targeting China and select international markets. Currently, CARIZON’s full-scenario ADAS solution has entered mass production, supporting urban navigation pilot assist functionality. Starting in the third quarter of 2024, it will be progressively rolled out on seven new electric vehicle models from Volkswagen’s three joint ventures in China. From 2025 onward, the solution will gradually expand to a broader range of products within the CEA architecture family. According to current plans, Volkswagen Group aims to begin deliveries of its L3 autonomous driving capability as early as the second half of 2027.