DeepSeek mobility integration is spreading across China’s transport sector, with companies including automotive giants and e-scooter manufacturers incorporating AI into their products. The adoption wave began with primary electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and has expanded recently to include the country’s leading electric two-wheeler brands.
DeepSeek’s mobility integration transforms the auto industry
According to the South China Morning Post, over the past two weeks, more than a dozen Chinese automakers have announced plans to integrate DeepSeek’s AI technology into their vehicles. The roster includes industry leader BYD, established manufacturers like Geely, Great Wall Motor, Chery Automobile, and SAIC Motor, and emerging players like Leapmotor.
BYD’s commitment to the technology is particularly noteworthy, with the company planning to integrate DeepSeek in its Xuanji vehicle software platform. The integration will let BYD offer preliminary self-driving capabilities on nearly all its models with no change to the sticker price, making autonomous driving accessible to more consumers.
The initiative covers around 20 models, including the highly-affordable Seagull hatchback, which is currently priced at 69,800 yuan (US$9,575).
E-scooter brands join the DeepSeek bandwagon
DeepSeek has hit China’s e-scooter sector most recently, as Xiaomi-backed Segway-Ninebot Group and Nasdaq-listed Niu Technologies work to incorporate AI into their electric two-wheelers.
Ninebot stated on Friday that it would “deeply integrate DeepSeek” into its products, promising enhanced features through its mobile app. The improvements are said to include AI-powered content creation, data analytics, personalised recommendations, and intelligent services to riders.
Niu Technologies claims to have integrated DeepSeek’s large language models (LLMs) as of February 9 this year. The company plans to use the technology for:
- Driver assistance systems
- Riding safety features
- AI-powered travel companions
- Voice interaction
- Intelligent service recommendations
Yadea Group, the world’s largest by sales electric two-wheeler manufacturer, announced on Saturday that it plans to embed DeepSeek’s technology into its ecosystem.
The rapid adoption of DeepSeek in China’s mobility sector reflects what industry observers call “DeepSeek fever.” The technology’s appeal lies in its cost-effective and cost-efficient approach to AI integration.
The Hangzhou-based company’s open-source AI models, DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1, operate at a fraction of the cost and computing power typically required for large language model projects.
“Cars without DeepSeek will either lose market share or be edged out of the market,” said Phate Zhang, founder of Shanghai-based EV data provider CnEVPost.
The expansion of DeepSeek mobility integration comes at a time when Chinese e-scooter brands are gaining traction in overseas markets. According to customs data, the value of electric two-wheeler exports rose 27.6% to US$5.82 billion in 2024, passing the previous peak of US$5.31 billion in 2022. Export volume increased by 47% to 22.13 million units.
Research firm IDC notes that DeepSeek’s open-source model has fostered a collaborative innovation ecosystem via platforms like GitHub, letting developers participate in optimisation and security testing.
The collaborative approach is expected to improve companies’ ability to deploy, train, and utilise large language models.
The impact of DeepSeek mobility integration on China’s transport sector appears to be growing. Zhang Yongwei, general secretary of China EV100, projects that by 2025, approximately 15 million cars – representing two-thirds of national sales – will be equipped with preliminary autonomous driving systems, underscoring the transformative potential of the technology in reshaping China’s transport system.
(Photo by Kenny Leys)
See also: DeepSeek ban? China data transfer boosts security concerns
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