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Lijin Auto is making significant organizational changes as the company shifts its focus towards AI development rather than solely automotive innovation. According to recent reports from LatePoint Auto, Lijin is restructuring its research and development framework with a series of personnel and departmental adjustments.
A new software core team has been established, with Vice President Gou Xiaofei overseeing it. Similarly, a brand-new humanoid robot team has been formed, led by Senior Vice President Lang Xianpeng, who specializes in autonomous driving R&D. Additionally, Zhang Kun has been appointed head of the foundational model team, absorbing most of the staff from the autonomous driving division.
Key personnel transitions include Yan Yifei, previously in charge of AI evaluation and operations within the autonomous driving department, and Ling Lin, who managed data annotation. Both are now part of the humanoid robot team. Reporting lines are also being reshaped: Gou Xiaofei and Lang Xianpeng report directly to CEO and Smart Car Group head Ma Donghui, while Zhang Kun reports to CTO and Systems & Computing Group head Xie Yan. Yan Yifei and Ling Lin now report to Lang Xianpeng.
The large-scale organizational overhaul reflects Lijin’s strategic pivot towards AI-centric endeavors, emphasizing that the company’s future investments will extend beyond automobile manufacturing into artificial intelligence and robotics.
Recently, CEO Li Xiang hosted an almost two-hour online town hall meeting, where he shared his insights into AI trends and outlined key milestone targets. He emphasized that 2026 marks the final year for companies aspiring to lead the AI field. By 2028, he predicts that Level 4 autonomous driving technology will be practically implemented.
Li Xiang also highlighted that companies investing in foundational models, chips, operating systems, and embodied intelligence—likely no more than three globally—will dominate the industry. Lijin aims to be one of them, with a strengthened brand focus on embodied intelligence, moving beyond just creating smart homes on wheels.
Beyond automotive ambitions, Li Xiang confirmed that Lijin will venture into humanoid robots, aiming for rapid development and public debut. This signifies a bold effort to diversify and lead in the next era of AI-powered human technology.
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