As the dominant player in the drone industry, DJI has long shown interest in autonomous vehicles. Back in 2015, they poached Darren Liccardo, the former engineering director of Tesla's Autopilot and Advanced Autopilot programs, appointing him as the Vice President of Global Engineering at DJI.
According to recent leaks from Micro-Signal Qubits, DJI is currently testing its own self-driving vehicle in Shekou, Shenzhen. The base model is a Ford Escape SUV, but it appears to still be in very early stages of development. Currently, there are only cameras mounted on the vehicle, with no visible laser radars or other sensors.
This setup seems reminiscent of AIMotive, an NVIDIA-backed autonomous vehicle company that specializes in developing low-cost self-driving Solutions relying solely on cameras. They've also received permits for road testing in California, showcasing similar technology.
Perhaps DJI aims to leverage its expertise in machine vision and collaborate with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to break into the autonomous driving sector. However, insiders suggest that DJI's aspirations might extend far beyond this. They reportedly have plans to go “all-in,†covering everything from concept to final product. Some whispers even suggest they may consider building their own vehicles.
However, it seems that Darren Liccardo’s tenure at DJI was short-lived. Leaving in under a year, the reason given was quite surprising: DJI’s ambitions were reportedly too grandiose for their current capabilities. This "dream too big" mindset might have led to internal challenges, ultimately resulting in his departure.
Attached below are some images captured during the testing phase:
While DJI’s entry into the autonomous vehicle market is still in its infancy, their ambition and resources could make them a formidable contender in the future. Whether they'll succeed remains to be seen, but their bold moves have certainly caught the attention of the tech world.
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