Zhang Ying, who previously served as the key technical leader for end-to-end solutions at a prominent autonomous driving firm, has departed to establish her own startup. The new enterprise is dedicated to the realm of general physical Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Her team stands among the pioneers in China to delve into 'AI for Physical AI,' fostering advancements in this sector through Auto Research. They aim to set a benchmark against leading North American firms and expedite the commercialization of general physical intelligence.

Established in July this year, the company has successfully secured multiple rounds of funding, amassing hundreds of millions of yuan. Zhang Ying brings a wealth of expertise in end-to-end mass production closed-loop systems for autonomous driving. Her team members complement her skills with a blend of academic, engineering, and practical deployment experience: Chief Scientist Zhan Fangneng is a preeminent expert in world models and embodied intelligence, while Ji Mazeyu boasts extensive experience in robot control and deployment.

Together, this trio has constructed a comprehensive capability system encompassing foundational world model construction, system engineering, and physical robot control and deployment. As Physical AI transitions from conceptual validation to large-scale deployment, Zhang Ying's team has initiated the pilot launch of automated research tools. Some model metrics have already achieved industry-leading standards, with further advancements to be unveiled in due course.