Huawei CEO of intelligent automotive solutions, Richard Jin, unveiled the company’s new Qiankun software for intelligent electric vehicles (EVs) ahead of the 2024 Beijing auto exhibition. 

Qiankun will provide software for autonomous driving, as well as improving driver experience via audio, seat and chassis solutions. 

“2024 will be the first year for mass commercialisation of smart driving and the cumulative number of cars on road equipped with the Huawei self-driving system will top 500,000 by the year-end,” said Jin. 

Jin forecast that around 10 car models would integrate Huawei’s Qiankun software in the next 12 months but did not specify automakers. 

In its 2023 thematic intelligence report into EV technology, research and analysis company GlobalData reported that at the time of its report’s publication China was leading global sales of EVs, with 11 million battery EVs being sold in 2022 alone. 

By 2036, GlobalData forecasts that China will account for 33.5% of global EV production, ahead of the US which is predicted to account for around 19%. 

A GlobalData survey of automotive industry insiders also suggested that China’s EV startups and OEMs were seen as rigid competitors in the market. 

Around 37% of respondents answered that EV startups were the biggest threat to their business. 

Many critical materials used in EV batteries are mined in China, reducing the manufacturing cost for Chinese EV makers. It is therefore easier for mass produced Chinese EVs to undercut foreign competitors by price. 

EV software will become another competition between EV manufacturers alongside batteries and critical minerals.