At the 2025 "智驾天梯榜" annual gala on January 31, 2026, IM Motors (智己汽车) executive Wang Kang unveiled the brand's rollercoaster journey through First Electric's智驾大赛, a grueling 24-station competition testing urban NOA across China. From early struggles in Shanghai to triumphs in Nanjing (LS6 scored 109.59), IM highlighted its evolution in L2-L4 ADAS, strict software release protocols requiring 50,000+ km testing per model, and ambitious 2026 goals for full combo assisted driving. This event, drawing 22 brands like XPeng, NIO, and Huawei-powered rivals, underscored China's hyper-competitive EV智驾 race, with evolving closed-book rules pushing real-world limits.
The智驾大赛: China's Ultimate ADAS Proving Ground
Launched in 2023, First Electric's智驾大赛 has become the gold standard for evaluating production ADAS on public roads, spanning 24 cities in 2025 alone—from Xiamen to Wenzhou. Using a rigorous "scenario-behavior" scoring (120 total points: 50 for safety, plus zero-takeover bonuses), it ensures fairness with certified owners, latest OTA software, and innovations like cloud judging and pre-final qualifiers.
Key 2025 station winners:
- Xiamen (Feb): XPeng G6 (110 pts)
- Nanjing (Apr): IM Motors LS6 (109.59 pts)
- Wuxi (Jun): Avatr 12 (110.89 pts)
- Ningbo (Oct): Buick L7 with R6 (100.18 pts)
- Taizhou (Nov): Starway ES (112.81 pts)
| Brand/Alliance | Peak Score | Stations Won (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| XPeng (LiDAR) | 110+ | 2 |
| Avatr (Huawei) | 110.89 | 2 |
| IM Motors (Momenta) | 109.59 | 1 |
| Ideal | 110.38 | 1 |
| Starway | 112.81 | 1 |
Leaderboard shifts (recent 6 stations rule from Sep 2025) saw Avatr claim #1, with IM holding strong at #3 (908.77 pts over 12 stations), trailing XPeng and Huawei系.
IM Motors' Candid Race Reflections
Wang Kang detailed IM's arc: dismal Shanghai 2024 scores pre-nationwide urban NOA (Oct 2024 rollout with end-to-end models), surges in Guangdong (Zhuhai, Foshan), and dips in Jiangsu—e.g., Nantong's low due to older L7 hardware (low compute, few LiDAR upgrades). Despite this, IM views the大赛 as "painful yet joyful" for user feedback and data recycling, fostering owner groups for insights. Emphasis on "testing-driven development" with Momenta ensures iterative closed loops.
- Software Rigor: 50,000 km real-road testing per version; user beta feedback integrated pre-release.
- R6 Model Progress: Joint with Momenta since Jun 2024 (400,000+ km validated, 7+ user betas); outperforms R5 in extreme safety/平顺性, powering Buick wins and IM's 3.6.1 OTA.
Broader Industry Momentum: Bosch Enters the Fray
Bosch's Chen Dayu countered "conservative" critiques, touting full-stack prowess—from brakes to QNX OS (ASIL-D safety, unique in high-end ADAS)—and WeRide partnerships yielding zero-takeover segment wins. With global data loops (seconds-back, minutes-update) and China-led agility, Bosch eyes exports amid China's 30M+ annual sales plateau.
First Electric's Dong Hairong hailed 2025 as scale-up year: 22 brands, tech spillovers (e.g., Momenta/Huawei schemes), and rule evolutions from open-book to blind tests simulating unknowns.
Why This Matters: Global Implications for Chinese EV智驾
China's智驾大赛 reveals a maturing ecosystem where safety trumps hype—50% score weight ensures production-ready tech. IM's L3/L4 edge (first with full-stack production) and 2026 "combo driving finale" signal convergence, boosted by multimodal LLMs. Globally, as XPeng/NIO eye exports, Bosch-like suppliers bridge to L4 robotsaxi (WeRide). This pressures Tesla (参赛 yet trailing in some榜单) and Western OEMs, accelerating urban NOA worldwide.
Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond
IM targets 2026 combo ADAS completion, with R6 full rollout and大赛 dominance. Expect Phase 3 (50+ cities) to test L4 pilots, while outhauls leverage China's data edge. For EV buyers, this means safer, smarter rides sooner—watch IM LS6 upgrades and Huawei/Momenta showdowns.
