Chinese automaker Li Auto appointed Zhan Yifei as the head of its newly-created humanoid robots unit.
Yifei replaces Lang Xianpeng who spent only two weeks in the role — as first reported on Friday by the local media outlet LatePost.
When the company established the new department, the former Senior VP of Autonomous Driving R&D Xianpeng announced on January 30 via social media that he would become its leader, stating that he would “learn and welcome advice.”
The announcement came two days after Li Auto‘s all-hands internal meeting, where its founder and CEO Li Xiang emphasized that the company would focus on developing and releasing humanoid robots.
“Beyond automobiles, Li Auto will definitely develop humanoid robots and will make them available as soon as possible,” Xiang stated.
The chief executive was also reported to have said that the company should “recruit the best talents and bring back those who left for robot startup companies,” according to 36kr.
Back in late 2024, Li Xiang had confirmed that the probability of the carmaker building humanoid robots would be “definitely 100%,” but that “the timing is not now.”
In the internal meeting, he also highlighted that this year would be the final opportunity for companies to become AI leaders, stating that it would “further strengthen its brand positioning in embodied intelligence, rather than just creating a’moving home'”.
Xiang added that Level 4 autonomous driving wouldn’t be achieved until 2028.
LatePost reported that “there is significant technological overlap between autonomous driving and humanoid robotics”, which enables core functionalities to be repurposed.
This led the Autonomous Driving Assisted System (ADAS) unit to be split between three different divisions: the Software Entity Department (combined with the Smart Space one), the Foundation Model Department, and the new Humanoid Robots Department.
According to sources contacted by LatePost, the robotics team has started building its hardware and software foundation, with both Lang and Zhan having “frequently traveled to meet industry players and study robotics sector trends”.
As the new head of Li Auto‘s Humanoid Robots Department, Zhan will oversee all R&D and commercialization for the robotics business.
The new executive will report to Ma Donghui, the Smart Vehicle Group’s leader.
Meanwhile, the former executive will leave the company, with his next destination yet to be disclosed.
Zhan Yifei’s Background
Before his new position, Zhan joined Li Auto in August 2021, integrating the automaker’s ADAS team as head of AI evaluation and operations.
There, he also managed key technical elements, such as the Bird’s Eye View (BEV) algorithms, world model architecture, and software.
The BEV algorithm — which converts 2D perspective images from multiple vehicle cameras into a unified 3D representation — is considered “one of the core technologies in autonomous driving perception systems,” as stated by LatePost.
This module was crucial for “Li Auto‘s transition from ‘stitched perception to unified perception’, assisting in moving it “from reliance on high-definition maps to a map-free approach”.
Additionally, the world model architecture enables AI systems to predict actions in the physical world, serving as a “direction in both autonomous driving and embodied intelligence.”
Lang Xianpeng’s Background
Back in January 20218, Xianpeng joined Li Auto, becoming the first addition to its ADAS department.
Over the following eight years, he rose from R&D director to senior VP.
During his stint at the Beijing-based company, he was responsible for several key smart driving initiatives, including 2021’s transition to in-house development, which led to Li Auto delivering its self-developed highway NOA (Navigation on Autopilot) in less than 90 days.
Li Auto’s ADAS
Between 2023 and 2024, Li Auto launched its urban NOA function and upgraded it from a light-map solution to a map-free system.
In late 2024, Li Auto start rolling out its “end-to-end + VLM” solution. In September 2025, the company rolled out its VLA solution to all users.
The company also began rolling out the major AD Pro 4.0 update to its ADAS, containing Horizon Robotics’ Journey 6M chip.
The update was developed by the Chinese automaker in collaboration with the self-driving technology company QCraft.
