Haomo.AI, once a rising star in autonomous driving, has stumbled at a critical juncture of industry consolidation. On November 22, an internal email announcing a company-wide suspension of operations exposed the prolonged struggles of this former unicorn.
From an external investor’s perspective, the visible slowdown in R&D and delayed deployment of urban NOH (Navigation on Highway) are merely surface symptoms. The root causes lie in Haomo.AI’s long-standing lack of independence in corporate governance and client relationships, which hindered timely strategic adjustments during fierce competition. These constraints—limiting R&D pace, resource allocation, and strategic pivots—were exacerbated by the industry’s rapid acceleration in 2023–2024, ultimately leaving Haomo.AI with no room to adapt.
**From Industry Leader to Losing Momentum** Haomo.AI initially held a leading position in autonomous driving technology post its 2019 founding. It outpaced peers in mass-producing advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), achieving three product iterations within 2.5 years and deployment across over 10 vehicle models. Technologically, it pioneered high-definition-map-free urban autonomous driving solutions ahead of rivals like XPeng and Huawei. It also ventured early into unmanned logistics vehicles in late 2022, adopting a volume-driven pricing strategy to capture market share. Additionally, Haomo.AI gained attention in 2023 with its DriveGPT, an autonomous driving generative AI model, slated for debut in Great Wall Motor’s WEY Mocha DHT-PHEV.
However, as the industry advanced, Haomo.AI faltered. In August 2022, it ambitiously pledged to cover 10 cities with urban NOH that year and 100 by 2023. Yet by September 2024, its second-gen solution reached only eight cities, while competitors like Huawei and XPeng had surpassed 200. This lag in execution proved costly in the fast-evolving smart EV sector, where 2023 marked a "cost-cutting + speed-up" phase, demanding rapid scalability, data iteration, and cost efficiency from suppliers.
**Overdependence on Great Wall Motor** Initially, Haomo.AI’s close ties to Great Wall Motor (GWM) were an advantage. Spun off from GWM’s R&D division in 2019, Haomo.AI attracted investments from Hillhouse Capital, Meituan, and Qualcomm China, among others, with GWM retaining over 53% ownership. Investors cited GWM’s endorsement as a key factor in their backing. However, GWM’s dominant control later backfired. Sources revealed that GWM’s management unilaterally halted Haomo.AI’s logistics vehicle project citing funding shortages, bypassing board approval. This decision, coupled with infrequent governance meetings, stifled Haomo.AI’s agility.
By March 2024, GWM diversified its supply chain by investing in rival autonomous driving firm DeepRoute.ai, further marginalizing Haomo.AI. Despite Haomo.AI’s claims of securing three OEM partnerships (including non-GWM brands), no external deployments materialized. Stakeholders—employees, investors, and suppliers—reportedly received no clarity from Haomo.AI or GWM regarding the operational halt, with both parties deferring responsibility.
Haomo.AI’s decline underscores the peril of governance flaws and overdependence in an industry racing toward consolidation. As automakers prioritize integrated supply chains, third-tier autonomous driving players lacking independence and scale face existential challenges.