Auto China 2026 Opens in Beijing — Chinese EV Makers Showcase In-House AI Chips; Xpeng Unveils Flying Car, Humanoid Robot, and Robotaxi

The 19th Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2026) opened April 24 under the theme 'Future of Intelligence', drawing a record 380,000 sq meter exhibition area — the largest edition in the show's history, running through May 3. Chinese EV makers including BYD, Xpeng, Li Auto, Geely, and Leapmotor showcased in-house AI chips designed to reduce Nvidia dependence in automotive applications. Xpeng's press showcase was the most dramatic: the company unveiled its 'Land Aircraft Carrier' flying car (mass production targeted 2027), the next-gen IRON humanoid robot (production targeted Q4 2026), and the GX robotaxi prototype — China's first factory-integrated Level 4 autonomous vehicle designed for mass production. The GX uses four in-house Turing chips delivering 3,000 TOPS and runs Xpeng's VLA 2.0 physical AI system; 98.52% of new Xpeng owners activated intelligent driving features in their first week. Horizon Robotics launched its Starry 6 processor, integrating cockpit and driving functions into a single SoC. Pony.ai outlined plans for its lower-cost Gen-7 robotaxi vehicles. The show crystallizes China's transition from EV manufacturer to integrated AI-hardware-mobility competitor with companies vertically integrating chip design, AI models, robotics, and vehicle platforms — challenging both Tesla's FSD ambitions and Nvidia's automotive AI chip dominance simultaneously.