Dahua Car Startup Raises $290 Million But Questions Abound

•Published Dec 03, 2018 18:56 PM

Dahua’s electronic car startup LeapMotor raised $290 million in funding this year, it said in an announcement [link no longer available]. However, this news raises questions about why Dahua is investing time and resources in a field so different from security.

In this post, we examine:

Leap Motor background including Dahua ownership
Crowded China electrical car market
The probability of manufacturer success in this market
Government role in subsidizing electric cars
Dahua / Leap's big claims including security / surveillance integration
Dahua and Leap jointly developing AI autopilot chip
Dahua touting its success in video surveillance as a justification for electric car entrance

Leap ***** **********

**** *****, ******* ** ****, ** mostly ***** ** ***** ******, ***** founder ** ******, *** * *** other *** ***** **********. (***** ******** ******** ****.)

************ ***** *****’***** ************* ******, **** ***** *** ********* ******** of ******* **** ****-******* ******* ******* firms **** ******* ******’* ******* *******. (*****’* *** ************ ****** $** *******.)

********* ** *** ****** ************ [**** no ****** *********], **** ***** ******* to ***** * ***** ** $*** million ****** *** *** ** **** year, ****** *** *&* *** ********* purposes. *** ***** ******** ***, *** S01, ** ****** ** ***** *** market ** ******* ****.

*** *** [**** ** ****** *********] is ***** ******** ** * ***************-********, cloud-connected ******** *** **** * *********** autopilot ****** *** ** **** *** keys ****** ** ****** *** **** recognition.

Leap ***** ****** ******* ******

***** ** **** ********** ** ***** about *** ********* ** ******** ******* [EV] ******, ****** *** ** ******* Chinese ********** ********* ******* * ***** of ******** **** *** *****.

***** *** ******** ** ** ********* ** ***** ***, ******* ** $** billion ** ********** ********* **** *** last * ***** *** $** ******* more ** *** ********. *** ****** Chinese ** ********* ***** ******** **** ** *%.

“***** ***, *** ***** ****** ** NEVs [*** ****** ********] ** *** a ****** ****** *** **********-****** ********, with ****** ********** ** *********", *** Chinese *** ********* **** *******.

**** ***** ****** ** ******* ******** from **** *********: ********* ***** ********, *** ***’* ******* ***** ***** fall **** ****** $**,*** ** $**,*** thanks ** ****.

Prospects ******* ****** ******

***** *****'* ****** ******** ** ****** are ********** ********* ****** *****, **** Motors ** ***. *** ********* **** frequently ********* ** ****'* ****** ** Chinese ************ ******* ******** ******, ******* ******** ******* [**** ** longer *********],***,** *****, ********. ***** ******** *** *** ****** by ***** **** ****** *** ******-***** than *****, **** ******* (*********** ********) *** ******* (***** ****** ***.)

*** **** ** ************ ***** **** Motor ****** ********* ***** *** *******'* success ** * ******* ******. **** little **** *** ** ***** ***** to **** * '****-***-***' ******** ****** the ****** ** *** ***. **** sentiment *** ******** ** *** ****** ** * ******* *** *****, *** ***** **** *** ***’* ****** car-style ****** *** “********” ***** *** car's ******** ************ ***** ** "*** foundation *** *** ***** ** *******."

AI ********* **** ***** **-*******

******* **** *******, ** **** ****, Dahua *** **** ********* [**** ** longer *********] ***** *********** ** ** AI ********* ****, ********* **** ****:

** ******* **** ******** ******** ***** Dahua ** ******* ******* ** ********* chips, *** ***** ** ******* **** vehicle ***** ** *** ****** ******* of ****... *** *** **** ***** master ********* *******'* **** ******** ******** and ********* **********, *** ******* ***** automated ****** **********, ********-****** *** ********* layer ************.

**** ***** ***** ******* ***** **** Dahua **** *** **** *** *** AI *****, *** ****** ** ******* makers **** ****** [**** ** ****** available] *** *** ******** ***** ******** its “*********” *******.

Big ****** ** **** ** **

***** *****’* *** ****** ****** ************************** *********, ** ***** ******** **** ***** will **** ** ** *** **** other ****** ** *** ****, **** as:

**** ** **** ****** *** “****** of *****” *** *** *** ***************, as ****** [**** ** ****** *********] by **** ***** ******** (*** ***** co-founder) *** *********
**** ** *** "********" * "***** first" ****** **% ******* **** ** most ******** ****, ***** ** *** christened *** ******** ****** [**** ** ****** available]

********* **** ****** ** ******** ** China *** *** ** *** ******* of *** **** "********** ***-*************" (***造车): *** **** **** ***** *** are **** **** ********** ** **********.

Dahua ***** *********** ** ****

**** ***** ** ****** *** ****** success ** *****’* **** ** ***** in *** ***** ************ ********, **** Dahua **-******* *** **** ******** *** Jiangming ****** [**** ** ****** *********]:

** ****, **** ***** ******* *** security ********, ******* ***** ********* ** Germany, ***** *** ***** ***** ********* for **** **** **% ** *** market ***** ** *** ********. ******* companies *** *** **** * *****. After ** *****, ******* ********* **** already ******** **-**% ** *** ******, and ***** ****** ***** ****** ** the ****** ***** ************ ******.

***** **** *** ** ****, ** is ******* *** **** ***** *** replicate *****’* ********** ****, *** *** just ******* **** *** *** **** complex **** *******.

***** ****** * *** ***** ************ player ** *** ******* ************** ** * *** ********** ***** * ******** ***** ************ system; ***** *** *** **** ********** contracts ********* ***** ****** ** ***** ****** abuses.

*******, ***** ***** *** ** **** to ** ****** ** ******** ********* – *** ********** *********** – ** part ** ******** ******** ****** ******* ******.

Dahua ******

*** ** **** ****** ********* *** only ***** **** *****’* ****** ** success *** **** ***** *** ****** on *****.

** **********, **** *****’* **** **** drive ****** *** ***** ******** ***** video ************ *** ****** ******* ********.

*** ** **** ***** **** ** failing ** ********** – * ****** possibility ***** *** ****** *********** ******* EV ****** – *****’* * ****** it **** **** **** ******-****** ********* and ***** ********* **** *****.

**’* * ****** ***** ***** **** willing ** ****.

Comments (5)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

•Dec 03, 2018

Really hope this doesn't spread too far. Their cybersecurity issues and connections to the Chinese government make it seem like they could be turned into remotely-controlled weapons. Assassination would be a breeze.

Here's a gloomy scenario: you could have several thousand of these driving around your city as normal. Somebody gets named a target. All the AI autopilots start watching for someone with that face. If the target is found walking, the nearest cars start trying to ram them.

Less gloomy scenario: all your cars are mining bitcoin.

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(2)

(1)

Clint Hays

•Dec 03, 2018

If it is successful then they make money.

I'm curious though as to the potential risk by being propped up off of government money. Maybe someone smarter than me can explain the true risk of spinning off a new brand with very similiar leadership, promising a brand new product, getting hundreds of millions of dollars from the government to develope technology the existing company could then sell, and then failing with the new company.

What collateral could be at risk from Dahua because of this new company?

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Undisclosed #2

•Dec 04, 2018

I'll just wait for the Longse knockoff version at a lower price.

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(4)