Li Auto CEO Li Xiang stated in a Weibo post that over the past two years, many people have asked him if focusing on AI meant he was no longer paying attention to automobiles. He clarified that the opposite is true, emphasizing that the company understands embodied intelligence must be built upon a high-quality vehicle to genuinely create value for users. Consequently, he dedicates 70% of his time to automotive development, which enhances their understanding of how to evolve a car into a true robot.
Li Xiang also introduced the upcoming全新理想L9, describing it as a vehicle that becomes an intelligent entity. With a complete technology stack comprising eyes, a brain, a heart, nerves, and limbs, the car transforms from a passive tool into an active partner. It will recognize you, understand you, and proactively serve you. In the future, every family will deserve to own such an intelligent companion.
"2026 marks the beginning of Li Auto's second decade. The new L9 is not just an excellent vehicle but also the pioneering work of embodied intelligent robotics. We have been preparing for ten years, waiting for this moment," he said.
The Weibo post detailed the company's journey since its founding in 2015, when they questioned the ultimate form of the automobile. While most viewed it as a faster, smarter means of transport, Li Auto's vision was a robot. The philosophy of "giving life to cars" has been progressively realized over the past decade.
Key milestones include the October 2018 launch of the理想ONE, which introduced perception capabilities through microphones, radars, and cameras. In May 2021, the self-developed perception system entered mass production with the 2021理想ONE. The in-house operating system project began in October 2021.
The理想L9 launched in June 2022 featured the first mass production of the self-developed central domain controller XCU, shifting the car's role from a mere tool to a genuine living space. The self-developed chip project started in November 2022, followed by the large model project in March 2023. MindGPT, the self-developed large model, was deployed via OTA 5.0 in December 2023.
In April 2024, the理想L6 debuted with the first mass production of the in-house operating system星环OS. October 2024 saw the delivery of China's first end-to-end AD large model.星环OS was open-sourced in March 2025, and the VLA driver large model entered mass production with the理想i8 in August 2025.
Li Xiang reiterated that focusing on AI does not detract from their automotive focus. Instead, it deepens their expertise in transforming vehicles into true robots. The forthcoming L9 embodies this vision as an intelligent entity, transitioning from a passive tool to an active partner that recognizes, understands, and serves users proactively. He concluded that every family will deserve such a smart companion, marking the start of Li Auto's second decade in 2026 with the L9 as a foundational achievement in embodied AI robotics, a goal a decade in the making.
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