Dahua Car Startup Raises $290 Million But Questions Abound
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 ** ****.
** ** ** ********** **** **** make *****.
*'* ******* ****** ** ** *** potential **** ** ***** ******* ** off ** ********** *****. ***** ******* smarter **** ** *** ******* *** true **** ** ******** *** * new ***** **** **** ******** **********, promising * ***** *** *******, ******* hundreds ** ******** ** ******* **** the ********** ** ******** ********** *** existing ******* ***** **** ****, *** then ******* **** *** *** *******.
**** ********** ***** ** ** **** from ***** ******* ** **** *** company?
*'** **** **** *** *** ****** knockoff ******* ** * ***** *****.
* ***** **** ******* *** **** of **** **** ****** ** ** but * ***'* **** **** *** well ** *** *********** ******* **** market
**** * *** ****** *****,******* ******* ***** ******* ** ***** another ~$*** *******.
****** **** **** *****'* ****** *** far. ***** ************* ****** *** *********** to *** ******* ********** **** ** seem **** **** ***** ** ****** into ********-********** *******. ************* ***** ** a ******.
****'* * ****** ********: *** ***** have ******* ******** ** ***** ******* around **** **** ** ******. ******** gets ***** * ******. *** *** AI ********** ***** ******** *** ******* with **** ****. ** *** ****** is ***** *******, *** ******* **** start ****** ** *** ****.
**** ****** ********: *** **** **** are ****** *******.