In the last decade, cars have been continuously evolving from machines into minds.
Beneath polished hoods and streamlined designs, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping nearly every facet of the automotive experience in how vehicles are built, how they think, and even how they understand their drivers.
AI is becoming the central nervous system of modern mobility. Some of the most compelling progress is coming from within the automotive world itself, particularly from brands like Changan Automobile, which are combining manufacturing processes with AI ambition.
AI on the road
Autonomous driving remains one of the most public-facing expressions of AI in the auto industry, and one of the most challenging. Navigating the unpredictability of roads demands years of testing and refinement.
In China’s mountainous Chongqing region, known for its dense traffic, steep gradients, and endless curves, Changan has been putting their systems to the test.
It was here that Changan completed 34 consecutive days of road testing, proving their vehicles can handle complex, real-life scenarios. They have secured 17 licenses for L3-level autonomous driving road tests, the most awarded to any single entity for high-speed routes.
Vehicles like the DEEPAL L07 and S07i, both fitted with advanced traffic-congestion and highway navigation systems, are navigating these routes with a degree of autonomy once thought to be decades away.
The technology is tailored for the unpredictable complexity of real roads, with systems able to handle over 97% of urban merging scenarios and parking environments that would challenge even seasoned human drivers.
Intelligence as an engine
AI’s role in the automotive sector only begins when a vehicle rolls off the line. Modern car manufacturing is a data-rich environment, increasingly managed by smart robots and predictive algorithms. AI enables a level of precision and efficiency that’s fast becoming the industry standard.
Changan has been investing in these foundations. Its “Dubhe Plan”, launched in 2018, is centred around building lasting AI infrastructure like this. This plan is a software-defined vehicle architecture, essentially a digital chassis, that can evolve over time, adapting to new features, apps, and even driving styles.
Supporting this architecture is a high-powered AI stack, including the UNIBrain central computing platform, a real-time operating system called RateX, and the Quark Intelligent Computing Centre, which can simultaneously support over 10 million connected vehicles.
AI’s expanding footprint
As AI becomes embedded across vehicle systems, the benefits are becoming more holistic. Driver assistance features like lane keeping, adaptive cruise control, and drowsiness detection are already standard in many models.
Modern vehicles are learning how to personalize cabin environments, adjusting climate, music, even lighting based on the driver’s habits. Natural language voice assistants are replacing traditional buttons and menus. And behind the scenes, predictive maintenance systems are alerting drivers to potential issues long before a breakdown happens.
In the customer journey, too, AI is playing a role with intelligent chatbots that book service appointments and systems that recommend the right vehicle based on driving patterns. It’s a change in the sector that’s making cars smarter and more intuitive.
Global vision, grounded ambitions
As AI-driven vehicles become the norm, the industry is entering a phase where scale matters. Companies with both tech capability and global manufacturing reach will influence how this future unfolds.
Changan, for instance, is making strategic inroads into Southeast Asia and Europe, supported by overseas manufacturing bases and new product rollouts.
The company’s goal of reaching 5 million global vehicle sales by 2030 might seem ambitious, but it’s underpinned by a combination of investment (200 billion RMB committed to innovation), talent (a growing R&D team of over 10,000), and partnerships.
Collaborations with leaders like Huawei and Horizon Robotics suggest a strategy built on specialization over reinvention.
Even more interesting is how brands are positioning the car itself – as something more than a vehicle. With L3 autonomy becoming commercially viable, especially on highways, the car is beginning to resemble a “third living space” where time is reclaimed from the burden of driving.
Driving tomorrow, today
The road to fully autonomous vehicles is long, and AI’s integration into mobility raises serious questions about safety, ethics, and cybersecurity.
The industry isn’t blind to these challenges. Functional safety certifications like ISO 26262, which Changan has achieved for limited condition autonomy, are early signs of a more regulated, responsible approach.
As the automotive world accelerates into a new era defined by intelligence, connectivity and sustainability, Changan stands out as an inventive leader.
Its record in autonomous driving, the depth of its AI strategy, and its investments in the right digital infrastructure positions it at the forefront of global mobility.
