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Xpeng’s head of autonomous driving quits, rumored to join Nvidia on August 3, 2023 at 5:58 am

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Xpeng, a prominent Chinese electric vehicle maker and a competitor to Tesla, has announced the resignation of its vice president of autonomous driving, Xinzhou Wu, over personal and family reasons.

Wu, formerly a senior director of engineering at Qualcomm where he spent over a decade, was effectively the head of Xpeng’s autonomous driving business and played a pivotal role in helping Xpeng gain an edge over its EV rivals in the intelligent driving race.

The NYSE-listed EV upstart is recognized for its in-house, full-stack development team responsible for creating the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) Xpeng Navigation Guided Pilot (XNPG), which is considered a counterpart to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system.

In March, Xpeng upgraded its city navigation system for customers in first-tier cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai. In a few months, the system’s mileage penetration rate had exceeded 60%, Xpeng revealed on a recent earnings call. Moreover, the company aims to reduce the number of manual takeovers per 1,000 kilometers when using its highway navigation to one or fewer by the end of 2023.

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Tesla hasn’t made FSD available in China yet and recently denied rumors that it would introduce the option in Shanghai soon. Even if it had plans to do so, it would take the American giant at least 12 months to localize the system for China’s complex road conditions, Wu said in a previous interview.

Wu hasn’t announced his next career move after five years with Xpeng, though widespread rumors suggest he’s taking up a senior position in Nvidia’s autonomous driving division. A Weibo post by He Xiaopeng, CEO and founder of Xpeng, hints at this possibility, as he expressed pride in Wu soon becoming a top-level manager at a globally renowned company with continued collaborations on chip technology with Xpeng.

Indeed, Xpeng has had a longstanding chip partnership with Nvidia, which itself has made big strides into the autonomous vehicle space with its smart driving platform Drive and state-of-the-art auto chips.

Wu is passing the torch to Liyun Li, currently senior director of autonomous driving at the firm. According to He, this transition has been in the works for nearly a year and he’s confident that it will play out “smoothly”.

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The separation appears to be amicable, as evidenced by Wu reciprocating He’s sentiment with a warm message on Weibo. “I believe Xpeng’s solid team and system will propel forward the development of ADAS until the era of driverless cars arrives.”

The resignation of Wu, which is seen as a huge talent loss for Xpeng, came just a week after Xpeng announced a promising investment from Volkswagen that will see the pair co-develop electric vehicle models for the Chinese market.

While Wu’s resignation may not have an immediate impact on Xpeng’s autonomous driving path, it does mark the end of an era at the firm. Wu belongs to a group of AI experts who returned from Silicon Valley to work at emerging Chinese tech companies while managing R&D teams in the U.S. With escalating tensions between the two global powers, numerous Chinese tech giants have downsized their U.S. operations.

Xpeng turned many heads in the EV industry early this year after appointing Wang Fengying, a veteran with 20 years of experience at Chinese budget pick-up truck and SUV manufacturer Great Wall Motor, as president. To many’s surprise, Wang will be overseeing product planning at the young firm that prides itself on R&D.

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As Wu remarked in his farewell message, “Five years ago, I crossed the ocean to join Xpeng, landing on the right platform at the right time. I found myself stepping into a race that sent the wind and clouds and set the spirits ablaze.”

​ Xpeng, a prominent Chinese electric vehicle maker and a competitor to Tesla, has announced the resignation of its vice president of autonomous driving, Xinzhou Wu, over personal and family reasons. Wu, formerly a senior director of engineering at Qualcomm where he spent over a decade, was effectively the head of Xpeng’s autonomous driving business and 

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Terror Attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas Linked

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The start of 2025 has been marred by two horrific terror attacks in the United States, one in New Orleans and another in Las Vegas, both occurring on New Year’s Day. These incidents have left communities reeling and have raised concerns about potential connections between the suspects involved.

In New Orleans, a truck driven by 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed into a crowd celebrating on Bourbon Street, resulting in at least 15 deaths and over 30 injuries. Eyewitnesses reported that Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran from Texas, deliberately targeted pedestrians while flying an ISIS flag from his vehicle. Following the attack, he exited the truck armed with an assault rifle and opened fire on police officers before being killed in the ensuing confrontation. Authorities discovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) within his vehicle and in the vicinity of the attack site, further confirming the premeditated nature of this act of terrorism.

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Simultaneously, a separate incident unfolded in Las Vegas when a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel. The driver, identified as Matthew Livelsberger, also had a military background and was reported to have detonated the vehicle packed with firework mortars and fuel, resulting in his death and injuring seven others. Investigators are exploring whether Livelsberger and Jabbar had any prior connection, as both men served at the same military base at different times.

While the FBI has confirmed that they are investigating both attacks as acts of terrorism, they have not established a definitive link between the two incidents. However, similarities in their execution—both suspects rented vehicles from the same company—have prompted further scrutiny into their backgrounds and any potential accomplices.

As investigations continue, authorities are urging anyone with information about either suspect to come forward. The tragic events have sparked discussions about security measures in public spaces, particularly as cities prepare for large gatherings in the coming months.

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Politics

Donald Trump Named TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year

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Donald Trump has been selected as TIME magazine’s Person of the Year for 2024, marking his second time receiving this distinction. The former president, who won a historic comeback victory in the 2024 election, was chosen for his significant impact on global affairs and American politics.

TIME editor-in-chief Sam Jacobs explained the decision, citing Trump’s “comeback of historic proportions,” his role in driving “a once-in-a-generation political realignment,” and his reshaping of both the American presidency and the country’s global role. This recognition comes after Trump’s unprecedented achievement of reclaiming the White House after losing reelection four years earlier.

The selection process involved an extensive interview with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November, covering a wide range of topics including the economy, foreign policy, and his plans for a second term. Notably, TIME took the unprecedented step of publishing a comprehensive fact-check alongside the interview transcript, examining 15 distinct assertions made by Trump.

Trump’s relationship with TIME has been tumultuous over the years. While he expressed honor at receiving the title in 2016, he has also criticized the magazine’s selections and even claimed he refused a potential Person of the Year offer in 2017. Despite this, Trump participated in the process this year, granting TIME access for an in-depth interview.

To commemorate the announcement, Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). This event marked a significant moment in Trump’s career, as it was his first time participating in this Wall Street tradition.

Trump’s selection as Person of the Year reflects his continued influence on American politics and his ability to reshape the political landscape. As the country prepares for his return to the White House, all eyes will be on how Trump’s second term might further impact both domestic and international affairs.

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Film Industry

Jay-Z Denies Allegations Amid Lawsuit

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Jay-Z, the renowned rapper and music mogul, faces serious allegations in a recently amended civil lawsuit. According to ABC News and NBC News, the suit accuses him and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping a 13-year-old girl at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party in 2000.

The lawsuit, initially filed in October 2024, was updated on Sunday to include Jay-Z as a defendant alongside Combs. The plaintiff, identified only as “Jane Doe,” claims she was assaulted after being driven to the party following the awards show.

Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, vehemently denies the allegations. He released a statement on X calling the lawsuit a “blackmail attempt” and questioning why it was filed as a civil case rather than a criminal one. The rapper expressed concern about the impact on his family, stating he and his wife Beyoncé would need to discuss the situation with their children.

Combs, who is currently in federal custody on separate charges, has also denied the accusations through his attorneys. The lawsuit alleges that an unidentified female celebrity was present during the incident but did not intervene.

The case has garnered significant media attention, with both artists’ reputations at stake. As the legal process unfolds, the music industry and public await further developments in this high-profile case.

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