Electric vehicles (EVs) and in‑vehicle AI have emerged as priorities in terms of global technological competition and industrial upgrading. For its part, the Hong Kong SAR government is focusing on capturing the opportunities emerging from the scale and innovation of Chinese Mainland’s EV industry. By harnessing Hong Kong’s advantages as an international financial centre and technology hub, the government is extending policy support and co‑ordination to companies seeking to develop their business in the city in order to assist China’s EV industry and assorted technology sectors to go global.

The government's Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles sets out a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles. It has also designated three trial areas for the acceleration of the large‑scale application and commercial operation of autonomous driving technology in Hong Kong, encouraging the industry to use Hong Kong as a platform for developing overseas business, particularly in the right‑hand‑drive markets.

In its early stages, Shanghai‑based Jidou Technology Limited (Jidou) developed AI and digital solutions for intelligent automotive cockpits. Through its full‑chain service capabilities, Jidou has expanded into a number of new areas, including integrated vehicle AI control centres and embodied AI. It also provides multi‑domain vertical models and agent‑centric AI solutions. Concurrently, it is accelerating its global business deployment programme, which sees it using Shanghai as a base and Hong Kong as a springboard.

AI-enabled automotive cockpits

Founded in Shanghai in 2014, Jidou is now providing complete‑car manufacturers across the world with AI solutions for intelligent automotive cockpits.

To date, the company has provided services to more than 30 major domestic and overseas car manufacturers, including FAW, SAIC and GAC on the Mainland, international brands such as Audi, Volkswagen, Toyota and Hyundai, and new‑energy start‑ups such as Xiaomi, Voyah and Avatar. Currently, more than 14 million online vehicles are utilising Jidou’s intelligent cockpit system.

 
Jidou Technology Limited (Photo courtesy of Jidou)
 

Hong Kong: A global operation hub

In response to ongoing developments in the global competition and compliance environment, Jidou has come to regard Hong Kong as a key focus for its internationalisation strategy and cross‑border plans.

• Operational entity in Hong Kong established: In 2025, Jidou set up a Hong Kong subsidiary in order to help establish compliance frameworks for its cross-border business, overseas collaborations and capital management. The company has also aligned with the SAR government’s support policies and secured support from the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES). It now aims to enlist assistance from OASES in order to secure the required talent visas, access high-level cross-border business advice and link up with capital market professional services, ultimately accelerating the building of its local team and Hong Kong-located business operations.
• Hong Kong – a bridge and a link: At present, Jidou wishes to lower its geopolitical technology risks via Hong Kong’s internationalised and politically-neutral business environment, in order to better serve its high-end global car-manufacturer clients through strict compliance with delivery protocols.
• Building overseas ecosystem collaboration networks: Currently, Jidou is working with Ant International to better integrate its overseas payment networks. In future, it plans to use Hong Kong as a platform to link up with such overseas resources as EV charging points, gas stations, and parking lots, as well as digital content from both Europe and Southeast Asia. This will create an automobile cockpit service model comprising Mainland Chinese technology + global ecosystem. At present, the company’s overseas business (primarily from Europe, Asia and Oceania) accounts for more than 15% of its total income. As it enters its next stage of global expansion, it is envisaged that Hong Kong will be its primary driver of growth.
• Linking up with Hong Kong’s financial and investment resources: Leveraging Hong Kong’s advantage as an international financial centre, Jidou is prioritising linking up with local and international investment institutions, professional services bodies, and industrial capital. In line with its specific business development needs, it intends to explore diversified financing channels as it looks to expand into new overseas markets, conduct R&D and build an international team. Hong Kong’s mature financial services system, internationalised investment network and cross-border professional services will inevitably assist the company as it looks to optimise its global resource allocation and finance matching strategies as part of moves to accelerate its long-term development.

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