Horizon Robotics’ Journey-Series Chips Hit 15M Cumulative Production Mark

On Sept. 3, Horizon Robotics said cumulative mass production of its Journey-series intelligent-driving chips has surpassed 15 million units.

Horizon Robotics has secured nominations for nearly 500 mass-production vehicle models from more than 40 automakers and brands. All of China’s top 10 automakers are among its customers. Its Journey-series chips have served more than 8 million vehicle owners to date.

The pace is picking up.Horizon Robotics took five years to move from zero to 10 million Journey chips in mass production. It added the next 5 million units in just 12 months.

The faster ramp reflects the wider rollout of intelligent driving across China’s mainstream vehicle market.

Data from the China Passenger Car Association show L2 or higher driver-assistance functions reached an 88.4% installation rate in China’s new-energy passenger vehicles in the first half of 2026. Adoption is also rising in vehicles priced below RMB 160K ($23,815).

As intelligent-driving features spread from premium vehicles into lower price bands, automakers need lower-cost chip platforms that can move into mass production fast. That shift is opening more volume programs for third-party chip suppliers such as Horizon Robotics.

The market, however, is no longer dominated by independent chip vendors.Leading automakers are also speeding up in-house chip programs.

BYD has launched its own 4nm intelligent-driving chip, with mass production already underway. Li Auto’s M100 chip entered mass-production vehicle programs in May. XPeng’s Turing AI chip has secured a mass-production nomination from Volkswagen Group, with cumulative shipments exceeding 200K units.

NIO has taken a different route. It spun out its chip business into Shenji Technology. Its first chip, NX9031, has shipped more than 300K units. Its second chip, M97, has completed tape-out. Shenji Technology is now in talks with automakers including Geely, Leapmotor.

For automakers, in-house chips can strengthen supply-chain control. They can also tighten the link between chips, algorithms and vehicle systems.

As these programs mature, third-party chip suppliers could face pressure from some major customers shifting more demand in-house.

For the many automakers without chip-design capabilities, however, third-party solutions remain the more practical option.

Horizon Robotics offers several cooperation models. They include IP licensing, chips with toolchains, full intelligent-driving solutions, joint development.The company is also using partners such as Bosch, Denso, Carizon to expand into joint-venture automakers, overseas markets.

The rapid rise in chip production is feeding into revenue growth. Profitability remains a challenge.

Horizon Robotics posted revenue of RMB 2.055 billion ($305.9 million) in the first half of 2026, up 32.9% YoY.Gross profit reached RMB 1.356 billion ($201.8 million), also up 32.9%. Overall gross margin stood at 66%.Journey-series chip shipments reached 2.218 million units, up 12.1% YoY.

Revenue from products and solutions rose 14.8% to RMB 926 million ($137.8 million). Licensing and services revenue grew 52.7% to RMB 1.129 billion ($168.0 million), already accounting for more than half of total revenue.

The revenue mix shows the growing role of software, IP and services in Horizon Robotics’ business.

But higher revenue has yet to translate into better adjusted profitability.

Adjusted net loss reached RMB 1.671 billion ($248.7 million) in the first half, widening 25.4% YoY. R&D spending hit RMB 2.755 billion ($410.1 million), more than 70% of revenue.Horizon Robotics expects to reach break-even around 2028.