Summary of Key Points
The Blue Electric car brand, formerly under Sailesi and known for its poor sales performance, has rebranded itself as “Saidou Technology.” This move has sparked rumors that ByteDance is involved in car manufacturing due to a partnership with ByteDance’s火山 engine technology. However, ByteDance has clarified that it has no plans to manufacture cars, launch car brands, or invest in Saidou Technology. Instead, it provides services to automakers through its DouBao large model and intelligent cockpit technologies. Saidou Technology, which is a rebranded version of Blue Electric, has attracted investors such as CATL, aiming to leverage AI (with the slogan “Born from AI”) to make a comeback in the second half of the automotive intelligence revolution. Nevertheless, ByteDance’s role is solely that of a technology provider, without any involvement in brand management, research and development, or sales. Whether Saidou Technology will be successful depends entirely on its own capabilities.
Detailed Analysis
1. Saidou Technology: From “selling cheap electric cars” to “capitalizing on AI hype”
Saidou Technology originated as Blue Electric under Sailesi and launched affordable electric vehicles starting at 99,800 yuan in 2023, attempting to compete with traditional fuel-powered cars. However, its total sales over three years amounted to only 54,400 units—a fraction of the sales volume of Sailesi’s AskJie brand. Despite a change in ownership to state-owned assets, sales did not improve. This year, Saidou Technology has brought in investors such as CATL and Jiangsu Bojun and rebranded itself to capitalize on the popularity of DouBao technology, shifting its focus to an “electrification + intelligence” strategy.
- Equity Changes: State-owned assets hold the majority of shares (the largest stakeholder), with Sailesi holding 33% (the second-largest shareholder); CATL and other industrial investors have joined, but ByteDance has not invested.
- Transformation Strategy: The automotive industry has moved from the “electrification phase” to the “intelligence phase,” and Saidou Technology aims to differentiate itself through AI-powered cockpits. Its slogan “Born from AI” reflects this focus on seizing this opportunity.
2. ByteDance and car manufacturing? False! They are just a technology provider
ByteDance has dispelled these rumors with three statements:
- No plans to manufacture cars or launch car brands;
- Saidou Technology is not a ByteDance/DouBao brand, and there is no equity relationship between the two companies;
- They only provide technologies such as the DouBao large model and intelligent cockpits to enhance the in-car user experience.
Why are these rumors circulating? It’s because ByteDance’s volcanic engine technology has made a significant impact in the automotive industry. Data from the Beijing Auto Show shows that 7 million vehicles have been equipped with the DouBao large model, covering 145 models from 50 different brands, with daily cockpit interactions exceeding 30 million times. While ByteDance provides cloud computing power, it emphasizes that it does not build factories, invest in car manufacturing, or manage brand operations; it simply acts as a technology supplier.
3. Volcanic Engine’s AI Cockpit: More than just a chatbot
ByteDance’s volcanic engine technology is not just a simple voice assistant; it connects all vehicle systems through an AI framework:
- Traditional automotive AI solutions were fragmented (e.g., different models used for navigation and air conditioning). Volcanic Engine breaks this barrier by integrating functions such as vehicle control, intelligent driving, navigation, and cabin settings into a cohesive system that enables “perception, reasoning, execution, memory, and learning.”
- For example, if you say, “I need to get to the airport for a 10 AM flight,” the AI will automatically check flight information, plan the fastest route, adjust the air conditioning, remind you of departure time, and even book a parking spot—proactively handling multiple tasks (this is known as an “agentic architecture”).
- Two options are available: automakers can use the pre-configured DouBao cockpit or customize AI cockpit kits according to their needs, offering flexibility.
4. The nature of the partnership: Saidou Technology relies on ByteDance’s technology, but ByteDance does not guarantee success
Sailesi has a history of relying on partners for success (e.g., with Huawei and AskJie). Now that Blue Electric’s performance is lacking, it seeks to partner with ByteDance’s AI technology. However, ByteDance’s approach is more hands-off compared to Huawei:
- While Huawei was involved in the brand management and development of AskJie, ByteDance focuses solely on providing technology without taking responsibility for sales or success.
- For a deep collaboration with volcanic engine technology, automakers need to grant access to core vehicle systems. Only companies like Saidou Technology, desperate for a turnaround, are willing to do so. However, ByteDance will not guarantee Saidou Technology’s success; it depends on the quality of the products and their competitiveness in the market.
5. The opportunity and challenges of AI in the automotive industry
Opportunities: AI is at the heart of automotive intelligence. If Saidou Technology can effectively utilize volcanic engine technology to create user-friendly cockpits, it may gain a foothold in the affordable car market, especially among younger consumers.
Challenges:
- Weak brand reputation: Saidou Technology needs to rebuild customer trust;
- Fierce competition: Competitors like BYD and Geely are also developing AI-based cockpits, giving Saidou no initial advantage;
- Lack of support from ByteDance: Even with advanced technology, poor product design, pricing, or sales strategies will undermine its success.
In summary, Saidou Technology’s attempt to revive through AI relies on ByteDance’s technology. However, whether it succeeds depends on its own capabilities and the market demand for such intelligent solutions.