Tier 1 suppliers for autonomous driving: Chinese Tier 1 suppliers have not embarked on the actuation layer, and L3 will spread after 2022
Amid the controversy in L3, some media believe that Audi will give up L3, which is later denied by Audi saying it only elevate the L3 research to Volkswagen Group.
Most OEMs plan to launch L3 models in 2020 except Volvo, Ford and NextEV that will skip L3.
Strictly speaking, the L3 models to be launched by OEMs in 2020 may be prototypes of some high-end models or not real L3 models.
Tier 1 suppliers are not in readiness for large-scale supply to L3 models. Continental, for instance, focuses on L2 + models between 2019 and 2022, and will commercialize L3 models after 2022. Bosch will also begin commercializing the L3 highway pilot (HWP) function after 2022. To increase redundancy of the system, Bosch renders a dual-domain controller architecture to further ensure the system security.
In the realm of autonomous driving, Tier 1 suppliers profit mainly from ADAS. Although Mobileye enjoys the largest market share in terms of ADAS algorithms (including software and chips), it did not secure the highest revenue in 2019 in the ADAS market which also covers control units, millimeter wave radars, map positioning systems, etc.
A case in point is Continental whose ADAS revenue in 2019 posted €4 billion (20% from ADAS domain control unit (ADCU) and 40% from radars).

It can be seen in the table below that Bosch, Continental and Valeo stay ahead by deployments among foreign Tier 1 suppliers, and Huawei deploys most widely in Chinese Tier 1 suppliers.

Chinese Tier 1 suppliers have not embarked on the actuation layer, which is undoubtedly their biggest shortcoming. Without the know-how about actuation technology, they cannot control the autonomous vehicles accurately nor have the initiative. It is expected that they will invest in or acquire related companies in the near future to address inadequacies.
Despite lagged far behind foreign Tier 1 suppliers in the underlying hardware of autonomous driving, Chinese Tier 1 suppliers delve more into application scenarios and V2X than foreign counterparts who usually deploy in expressways, urban roads, and autonomous parking, for the three of which Valeo, for example, launched Cruise4U, Drive4U, Park4U , respectively.
Chinese Tier 1 suppliers have laid out more scenarios. Together with partners, Baidu is present in such scenarios as autonomous cleaning, autonomous agricultural machinery, autonomous shuttles, RoboTaxi, autonomous delivery, autonomous buses, autonomous trucks, and AVP.
Alibaba is pivoted on autonomous logistics vehicle to bolster its e-commerce business.

OEMs and Tier1s’ Intelligent Cockpit Platform (Hardware and Software) Innovation Strategy Research Report, 2026
Intelligent Cockpit Platform Research: multi-dimensional cockpit system architecture reconstruction for multi-agent collaboration and proactive intelligent services
The intelligent cockpit software s...
Automotive AIOS Research Report, 2026
Automotive AIOS Research: Mass Production Solutions Are Implemented
Mass Production Solutions Are Implemented on A Small Scale.
In 2026, AIOS starts small-scale implementation, helping to improve v...
Automotive Telematics Service Provider (TSP) Research Report, 2026
TSP Research: Leading providers collectively turn to AI agents to provide all-scenario active services
Telematics Service Providers (TSPs) are the core hub of the telematics industry chain, connectin...
Automotive Smart Interior Research Report, 2026
Smart Interior Research: As Technologies like Interactive Starlight Headliner, Hidden Display and Surface Projection Are Launched, Automotive Interiors Become Ever More Intelligent
The Automotive Sma...
Research Report on AI Applications in Cockpits, 2026
AI Application in Cockpits: AI Services Become More Comprehensive, Convenient, and Refined.
In the first half of 2026, cockpit AI functions underwent initial upgrades across multiple dimensions, inc...
Software-Defined Vehicles in 2026: OEM Software Development and Supply Chain Deployment Strategy Research Report
Research on OEMs’ Software Strategies: R&D Focus, Development Strategies and Supplier Building Models of 30 OEMs
In this paper, we adopt a research framework covering 13 subsystems and 48 sub-di...
Passenger Car Chassis Domain Control and Chassis Cross-Domain Integration Research Report, 2026
Chassis Control Research: Mass Production of Full Chassis-by-Wire Solutions Starts
1. A Cluster of Full Chassis-by-Wire Solutions Make Their Debut, and EMB Enters Mass Production and Adoption for the...
Central Domain Control (Powertrain, Chassis, Body) and Motion Controller Research Report, 2026
Central Domain Control and Motion Control Research: XYZ Coordinated Control and Full X-by-Wire Actuation System
With the gradual penetration of L3+ autonomous driving, the chassis control system is ...
48V Low-voltage Power Distribution Network (PDN) Architecture and Supply Chain Panorama Research Report, 2026
Research on 48V Low-Voltage Power Distribution Network (PDN): An Active 48V Supply Chain, with Priority Deployment in High-Power Scenarios Such as Steer-by-Wire Chassis
The automotive 48V low-voltage...
AI-Defined Vehicle (AIDV) OEMs' Deployment Strategies Research Report, 2026
AIDV Research: Deployment Strategies of 22 OEMs
The AI-Defined Vehicle (AIDV) OEMs' Deployment Strategies Research Report, 2026, released by ResearchInChina, analyzes the AI deployment strategies of ...
OEMs’ Passenger Car Model Planning Research Report, 2026
Vehicle Model Planning Research: Chinese OEMs Launch Sub-Brands Intensively, While Multinational OEMs Apply the Brakes to Electrification Strategies
ResearchInChina released the OEMs’ Passenger Car M...
Autonomous Driving Simulation and World Model Research Report, 2026
Autonomous driving simulation research: "Simulation test + world model"-driven test system has become R&D infrastructure.
The "Autonomous Driving Simulation and World Model Research Report, 2026"...
Cockpit-Driving Integration Central Domain Controller SoC and AI Supercomputing Architecture Research Report, 2026
Cockpit-Driving integration and AI supercomputing research: The One Chip solution is rapidly installed in vehicles, and AI supercomputing architectures are moving towards full-domain integration.
AI ...
Intelligent Driving End-to-End Large Model Research Report, 2026
Research on Intelligent Driving Large Models: A Critical Period for Technological Competition and Paradigm Integration
As autonomous driving technology rapidly iterates from L2 to L3?L4, intelligent...
Automotive Digital Key Industry Trend Report, 2026
Digital Key Research: Automotive BLE, UWB and SLE Hardware Layout
The Automotive Digital Key Industry Trend Report, 2026, released by ResearchInChina, analyzes and predicts the digital key market, co...
Monthly Report on Automotive New Technology (May 2026)
UHD gaze technology, full-color LiDAR, UWB, etc. promote the upgrade of intelligent driving perception capabilities
This report is published once a month and is available for annual subscription.The...
In-Cabin Monitoring Systems (DMS, OMS, etc.) Research Report, 2026
In-Cabin Monitoring System Research: DMS to Become Mandatory in 2027, Expected to be Installed in Over 14 Million Vehicles
ResearchInChina released the In-Cabin Monitoring Systems (DMS, OMS, etc.) Re...
Automotive Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Cross-Domain Middleware Industry Report, 2026
Research on automotive SOA and cross-domain middleware: The era of AI atomic services and AI cross-domain fusion agents is coming.
Automotive SOA evolves towards AI + full SOA servitization Driv...