From Diversification To New Technology, Ecarx Is In The Driver's Seat

Vehicles aren't only getting safer, they're becoming smarter, thanks to advances in cockpit technology. Fueled on by electric vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems, artificial intelligence and in-car connectivity, consumers can now get more than a steering wheel when they get in the driver's seat. With these systems, drivers can access real-time data via a simple voice command, easily sync with their smartphones to make calls and play music and even get weather and movie times based on their exact location at any given time. It's no wonder the smart cockpit market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 20% between now and 2034.

Ecarx Holdings Inc. ECX, the Chinese automotive technology provider, is aiming to capitalize on this shift, leveraging its years of expertise in automotive technology to deliver full-stack solutions the company says enhance intelligence, connectivity and efficiency of next-generation vehicles. The company melds software, hypervision, operating systems and application software into one offering to provide vehicle manufacturers and OEMs with a single system that it says reduces costs and complexity. 

Ecarx should know a thing or two about automotive technology; after all, it is the brainchild of two automotive entrepreneurs – chairperson and CEO Ziyu Shen, and Eric Li (Li Shufu), who is also the founder and chairperson of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group GELYF. Launched in 2017, Ecarx has over 1,800 employees in 12 locations around the world, including China, the U.K., the U.S., Sweden, Germany and Malaysia. The company says its products can be found in over 7.3 million vehicles worldwide. 

Helping Drive Geely's Sales

The company's automotive technology prowess isn't lost on vehicle manufacturers either, which are benefiting from integrating Ecarx's technology into their vehicles. Take Geely Automobiles for one example. Ecarx said its full stack of automotive solutions helped Geely post sales of 266,700 vehicles in January 2025. Ecarx's solutions are found in a range of Geely brands, including Geely Galaxy and Lynk & Co., which the company says enhance vehicle intelligence, improve the user experience and contribute to the car company's increase in sales. 

“Ecarx is committed to driving innovation and delivering exceptional value to our customers,” said Shen. “Our long-term collaboration with Geely highlights how our solutions empower automakers to accelerate sales growth and strengthen their competitive edge by offering the consumer a unique vehicle experience. Our ability to rapidly adapt and deploy these solutions across various models and brands globally, regardless of powertrain, optimizes costs and allows automakers to keep pace with the rapidly evolving automotive landscape."

Diversifying Beyond Geely 

But Ecarx is not working with Geely alone. The company has been diversifying and announcing new partners, including its deal with FAW Group Co., a Chinese automaker. FAW is using Ecarx's automotive technology in its Hongqi Tiangong 05 all-electric sedan, which it launched in January. Ecarx says the Tiangong 05's intelligent cockpit will be powered by Ecarx's Antora 1000 Pro computing platform and integrated with customized Hongqi FAW OS on top of Ecarx Cloudpeak and the recently upgraded Ecarx AutoGPT in-vehicle AI large model application. That, says the companies, will set a new industry benchmark with an immersive and AI-driven intelligent cockpit experience.

To make it a reality, Ecarx and FAW combined their research and development capabilities and technological strengths over the past year to build an end-to-end value chain for the development of intelligent cockpits – from software and hardware design to system integration. This solution will be replicated and scaled across future Hongqi models, providing what the companies say is a cost-effective and streamlined approach. 

"Deploying our AI-driven intelligent cockpit solution in the Tiangong 05 is a significant milestone in the journey we embarked on with FAW last year to bring rapid change, technical advancement, and innovation to the sector," said Shen. "In particular, the deep integration of Ecarx AutoGPT with DeepSeek-R1 is set to redefine in-vehicle connectivity and performance, empowering more drivers with intuitive AI-driven solutions that align with the rapidly evolving demands of next-generation mobility."

The company's ability to diversify beyond Geely is one of the reasons UBS recently initiated coverage of Ecarx with a buy rating. In a research report, UBS said it expects Ecarx's diversification to begin to boost results. "Ecarx has been expanding its client base to non-Geely brands for a number of years and has won orders from FAW Hongqi and overseas OEMs. We expect the company to diversify its client mix and forecast revenue contribution from non-Geely brands to rise to 23% of total revenue in 2027," wrote UBS. The Wall Street firm expects a 52% earnings CAGR between 2026 and 2028.

Technology Advances Continue Unabated 

If Ecarx wasn't busy enough diversifying its revenue stream, the company is also at work advancing the technology it has pioneered. Take its recent upgrade of its Ecarx AutoGPT in-vehicle AI large model application which is integrated with DeepSeek-RI model, for one example. The upgrade is resulting in a faster, more secure and more personalized experience for users, reports Ecarx. It also expands AutoGPT's local processing capabilities and enhances reasoning and decision-making ability for automotive-specific applications. 

According to Ecarx, it also improves data privacy, lowers latency and decreases data transmissions and storage costs. Car companies using it won't have to worry about running afoul of local privacy regulations. 

"This upgrade highlights the unique value proposition we offer to global automakers with our cutting-edge technology and growing ecosystem of strategic partnerships — something we believe is crucial to driving the long-term sustainable development of the global automotive industry as it evolves towards software-defined vehicles," says Shen. 

This isn't your conventional vehicle cockpit. Thanks to AI, your cockpit can do so much more than get you from point A to point B. Ecarx is among the players enabling that with its advanced technology and deep partnerships, and it hopes to be a leader in shaping the future of the smart mobility market.

Featured photo by Anatolii Nesterov on Unsplash.

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