Horizon Robotics, a Chinese autonomous driving technology company, has released version 2.1 of its HSD full-scene assisted driving system, introducing what it claims is the first mass-produced end-to-end full-scene reversing function in China. According to PCauto, the iCAR V27 will be the first model to receive the upgrade, with owners getting the over-the-air update in batches starting October 8. Other automakers will announce their own rollout schedules and feature availability.
Full-scene reversing: a new benchmark
The headline feature of HSD V2.1 is 'full-scene reversing', which allows the vehicle to autonomously reverse in complex situations such as narrow-road encounters, blocked paths, and when extricating from a tight spot. This capability moves assisted driving from 'only moving forward' to 'autonomously moving forward and backward', a step closer to human-like driving behavior. Horizon Robotics says this is made possible by the underlying base model's improved spatial understanding, complex decision-making, and continuous control, all trained through world models and end-to-end reinforcement learning.
Beyond the reversing function, HSD V2.1 brings several practical upgrades. The system now includes intelligent flashing and honking alerts to warn other road users earlier. Defensive driving and narrow-road navigation have been enhanced, and features like activation from standstill and pulling over at destinations have been optimized. In parking scenarios, the system can now seamlessly transition from track reversing to parking assistance, and the end-to-end parking model has been upgraded for more precise entry into tight spaces. A new custom parking space auto-snap feature helps align the vehicle with the best spot, while improved OCC (occupancy network) perception detects small obstacles more reliably.
Performance gains and market expansion
Horizon Robotics reports significant performance improvements in HSD V2.1 compared to the previous version. The average distance between interventions (disengagements) has increased by 43%, the ability to change lanes in complex traffic has improved by 255%, and the success rate for parking in narrow spaces has risen by 20%. These numbers suggest a more confident and smoother driving experience, particularly in challenging urban environments.
The company also introduced a new 'block world' SR (surrounding reality) theme in the human-machine interface, which unlocks after drivers accumulate 100 kilometers of assisted driving mileage. This gamified element aims to make the driving experience more engaging.
Horizon Robotics emphasizes that the evolution from V2.0 to V2.1 demonstrates the iterative efficiency of its one-stage end-to-end architecture. The company says that as more automakers, including Volkswagen and several other leading domestic and international brands, adopt the HSD solution, consumers can access advanced assisted driving at more affordable prices. The rollout of HSD V2.1 marks another step in making sophisticated driver assistance features more widely available.
