Cars and Giants Converge

JD.com has been actively diversifying its portfolio, intensifying its efforts across various sectors. In the food delivery sector, Liu Qiangdong's investments have put considerable pressure on rivals like Meituan and Ele.me. Furthermore, JD.com has partnered with Donglai to establish a supply chain industrial base in Henan, set to become fully operational in June, pioneering a multi-channel retail shopping model.

Now, Liu Qiangdong has embarked on a new venture in the automotive industry.

In May, JD.com's subsidiary, "Beijing JD.com 360 E-commerce Co., Ltd.," registered the trademark "Joyrobotaxi," with international classifications spanning transportation tools, transportation storage, scientific instruments, and more. This move signifies JD.com's strategic positioning in the autonomous taxi race.

According to Qichacha, Beijing JD.com 360 E-commerce Co., Ltd. was founded in April 2007 with a registered capital of 2.92 billion yuan, jointly owned by Miao Qin, Li Yayun, and Zhang Pang.

Early Footprint

JD.com already possesses a solid foundation in autonomous driving. The company commenced research and development of unmanned delivery vehicles in 2016, and its intelligent delivery fleet boasts L4 autonomous driving capabilities. The autonomous driving technology accumulated by JD.com in logistics, including path planning algorithms, multi-sensor fusion in unmanned warehousing systems, and real-time scheduling of delivery robots, can be seamlessly applied to taxi scenarios.

Moreover, JD.com's vast e-commerce user base and extensive local lifestyle service network offer substantial data support and scenario entry points for autonomous taxis. By integrating travel services with instant retail, JD.com aims to create a seamless taxi-hailing + shopping experience, potentially sparking a new trend.

This trademark application marks a significant step for JD.com in extending its autonomous driving technology beyond logistics into travel scenarios.

Manufacturing Ambitions?

Regarding the question of whether JD.com will manufacture cars, Miao Qin, Vice President of JD.com Group, clarified that JD.com positions itself as a technology and service company rooted in supply chain management, with a primary focus on providing supporting services in the automotive sector.

Insightful Perspectives

Liu Qiangdong holds his own views on the automotive business. He has repeatedly criticized the traditional 4S shop system, arguing that dealers layer prices and lack transparency, leaving consumers with no choice but to accept pricing passively, severely deteriorating the user experience.

In 2018, Liu Qiangdong further proposed that electric vehicles will eventually do away with the need for 4S shops. He believes that in the era of electric vehicles, cars will resemble computers, being componentized, standardized, and modularized, allowing for parts to be replaced as needed.