Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Li Auto is reorganizing its foundational AI model operations to consolidate research around Vision-Language-Action (VLA) technology, according to a report by Chinese tech outlet LatePost published on May 21, 2026.

According to LatePost's exclusive report, Zhan Kun, a senior algorithm expert in Li Auto's autonomous driving division, will assume leadership of the company's foundational model business. The reorganization integrates VLA-related research teams to support autonomous driving, intelligent cockpit systems, and potential future robotics applications.

Under the new structure, Zhan will report directly to Xie Yan, Li Auto's Chief Technology Officer and head of the Systems and Computing Group, rather than Lang Xianpeng, Senior Vice President of Autonomous Driving R&D. Despite the reporting change, Zhan will continue overseeing intelligent driving VLA model development while advancing model capability engineering and platformization. Chen Wei, the current foundational model head, is expected to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.

Previously, Li Auto's VLA model development was split between two departments. Chen Wei led the "L" (language) component, developing capabilities comparable to ChatGPT and DeepSeek, while the autonomous driving team handled the "V" (vision) and "A" (action) elements, focusing on engineering and platform implementation.

The restructuring elevates VLA from a standalone project to a company-level foundational model, clarifying Li Auto's AI strategic direction. Sources familiar with the company indicated this signals a commitment to positioning vehicles as embodied intelligence products in the physical world, requiring concentrated resources on embodied AI development.

Zhan joined Li Auto in 2021 from Baidu's Apollo program, where he worked on autonomous driving prediction algorithms. He has progressively advanced through the organization, becoming head of the VLA Model department under intelligent driving operations in September 2025. Chen Wei, who joined as Chief AI Scientist in 2021, previously oversaw development of the "Li Xiang Tongxue" intelligent assistant and Mind GPT large language model.

Li Auto has experienced several departures of technical talent following the AI model boom, though the report notes that former employees maintain close communication with founder Li Xiang and participate in the company's AI weekly meetings.

The company claims its VLA driver model, fully deployed to AD Max vehicles in September 2025, has improved longitudinal control smoothness and intersection navigation accuracy. Li Auto plans to enhance language and behavioral information interaction capabilities and adapt the system to its self-developed M100 chip in 2026, potentially positioning the company as a more vertically integrated player in the autonomous driving sector.