According to DIGITIMES, China’s self-driving car market is booming with advanced driver-assistance systems now installed in over 60% of new vehicles, yet American suppliers still dominate the high-end autonomous driving chip sector with nearly 70% market share. Against rising Sino-US tensions, Chinese chipmakers like Horizon Robotics are accelerating domestic innovation with government policies aiming for full domestic automotive chip production by 2027. Horizon’s Journey 6 chip entered mass production in early 2025 with 560 TOPS computing power, a fourfold increase over its predecessor, and has already been adopted by Volkswagen, Bosch, and ZF for Chinese market vehicles. The company works with all ten of China’s largest automakers including BYD, Geely, and Chery, while its partnership with Bosch will launch overseas production in Q1 2026. Horizon’s flexible collaboration models range from IP licensing to fully integrated solutions, with Journey 6B chips projected to reach 7.5 million unit deliveries over their lifecycle.
The geopolitical angle
Here’s the thing – this isn’t just about technology. It’s about national security and economic independence. When you’ve got American companies controlling 70% of the high-end autonomous driving chip market, that creates serious vulnerabilities for China’s automotive industry. And with tensions between the US and China showing no signs of cooling, Beijing is pushing hard to decouple from foreign technology dependencies. The 2027 target for full domestic automotive chip production isn’t arbitrary – it’s a strategic deadline that aligns with China’s broader industrial policy goals. Basically, they’re treating this like the space race of the 21st century.
Why Horizon is winning
So what makes Horizon Robotics the chosen one in China’s autonomous driving push? They’ve basically hit the trifecta. Government backing gives them policy support and preferential access to domestic automakers. Their Journey 6 chip’s 560 TOPS performance actually competes with what Western companies are offering. And their flexible business model means they can work with everyone from tech-savvy automakers who want to design their own chips to those who just want a plug-and-play solution. It’s smart business – meet customers where they are rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all approach. When you’re dealing with industrial computing applications that require reliable hardware, having robust solutions matters. Companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com understand this dynamic well as the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs – performance and reliability in demanding environments is non-negotiable.
Who wins and loses
The ripple effects here are massive. American chip companies are looking at potentially losing their dominant position in the world’s largest automotive market. Chinese automakers get cheaper, more accessible autonomous driving technology that they can integrate without geopolitical headaches. But here’s the interesting part – Horizon is already expanding globally through partnerships with Bosch and adoption by foreign automakers. This isn’t just about protecting the home market anymore. They’re coming for international market share too. The projected 7.5 million unit deliveries for Journey 6B suggests they’re thinking big – really big. Can Western companies maintain their technological edge when facing well-funded, government-backed competitors who are rapidly closing the performance gap?
The road ahead
Look, the autonomous driving chip war is just getting started. Horizon’s overseas production starting in Q1 2026 marks a significant milestone – it’s when Chinese automotive chips go global in a serious way. The democratization of smart-driving technologies that began earlier this year means we’re going to see more affordable cars with high-level autonomous features. That’s good for consumers but potentially disruptive for traditional automotive suppliers. The real question isn’t whether China will achieve chip independence – they probably will by that 2027 target. The bigger question is what happens when Chinese chip companies start competing globally on performance and price, not just within China. That’s when things get really interesting for the entire automotive industry.
