Chongqing - On September 28, Yin Qi, Chairman of Afari Technology, told Bridging News that the company is focused on AI technology while pursuing a global growth strategy, which is now advancing through its recent partnership with Mercedes-Benz.
On September 25, Afari announced that Mercedes-Benz Digital Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. had acquired a 3% stake in the company for about 1.339 billion yuan (about 188 U.S. million dollars), making it Afari’s fifth-largest shareholder.
Yin expressed his enthusiasm for this partnership, emphasizing Mercedes-Benz’s status as a world-leading original equipment manufacturer. He noted that this investment validates Afari’s efforts and lays the groundwork for future strategic collaborations in areas like intelligent driving and smart cockpit technologies.
Afari, a Chongqing-based automotive-tech brand formerly known as Lifan Technology, was restructured with support from Geely Holding and renamed in February 2025. It now centers on an “AI + Auto” strategy. In March, Gui Shengyue, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director of Geely Automobile, said the company, as Afari’s core shareholder, aims to build a “second Huawei” together with it.
Yin pointed out that the automotive industry is undergoing a historical transformation with the increasing integration of AI into vehicles. Afari is capitalizing on this trend with its "AI+" business transformation, ensuring it remains at the forefront of the industry’s evolution.
In the field of intelligent driving, Afari is advancing toward a new stage, driven by large AI models. The company accelerates the development of Level 4 autonomous driving solutions, which are set for release next year.
Meanwhile, Afari makes strides in developing intelligent cockpits. These systems introduce features such as AI-driven interaction, allowing vehicles to perceive, listen, and think in ways that mirror human behavior. They also include integrated memory systems that continuously adapt to users’ preferences, providing increasingly personalized experiences.
Afari also has ambitious plans for completing the entire Robotaxi industry chain in the next 18 months. The company is collaborating with Geely to develop a dedicated Robotaxi model and is partnering with top mobility service providers to build a global Robotaxi service platform. The goal is to deploy over 1,000 Robotaxis in each of 10 cities worldwide, marking a major step forward in the autonomous vehicle sector.