Wang Jin, vice president of Baidu, left to join the auto pilot project

[Global Network reporter Chen Jian] comprehensive report March 27 news, Baidu's recent personnel turmoil, following the departure of Baidu chief scientist Wu Enda, Baidu, another high-ranking official, Baidu senior vice president, the original automatic driving division general manager Wang Jin In one activity, he said he would leave Baidu to start his own business.

Hong Tai Fund's CEO Equinox Conference was held in Beijing. Wang Jin officially stated to the outside world that he left Baidu at the event and said that he would leave Baidu to start his own business within a few days. Wang Jing’s own self-driving entrepreneurial project has already obtained the investment from Hongtai Fund.

According to public information, Wang Jin joined Baidu in April 2010. During the period, Wang Jin founded Baidu Mobile Cloud Division, Baidu Big Data Department, Baidu Infrastructure (Cloud Computing) Department, Baidu US R&D Center, Baidu Shenzhen R&D Center, and based on Baidu Deep Learning Lab (IDL). Co-founded Baidu Research Institute, focusing on the development of artificial intelligence. Recently, he also founded the Baidu Auto Drive Division.

During the five years from April 2010 to April 2015, Wang Jin was also responsible for Baidu’s commercial technology and products (Feng Chao). Through technical means, Baidu’s revenue increased by 10 times in five years.

Wang Jin led the development of Baidu Big Data Engine, Big Data + Open Platform, Baidu Cloud, Baidu Open Cloud, and Baidu Brain, and actively promoted the development of cutting-edge technologies such as voice recognition and image recognition. He has early deployed high-performance heterogeneous computing platforms based on ARM CPUs, GPUs, and FPGAs, making Baidu's HPC (high-performance computing) capability an international leader. He actively deployed and promoted the development and application of autonomous driving technology, and promoted the deep integration of Internet technology, business models, and the automotive industry. Baidu’s self-driving car passed the road test in early December 2015.

As the chairman of the Baidu Technology's highest decision-making body, the Technical Strategy Committee, Wang Jin actively promotes technological innovation, formulates technology development strategies, optimizes processes and platforms, and builds a top Chinese technology team, making Baidu's technology a benchmark in the industry.

Wang Jin was promoted to Baidu Senior Vice President in December 2013.

Prior to Baidu, Wang Jin served in companies such as Oracle, Informix, and E-Loan in Silicon Valley, and served as senior technical director of Alibaba after returning home, EBay China CTO, general manager of EBay China R&D Center, and Google China Engineering Research. Vice president of the hospital.

Baidu’s internal e-mail stated that due to personal and family reasons, Wang Jin will no longer serve as general manager of the Automated Driving Division (L4). However, outsiders have long speculated that Wang Jin will make corresponding personnel changes. In March 2017, Baidu announced the integration of existing businesses and resources, and set up the Intelligent Driving Business Group (IDG). Baidu Group President and Chief Operating Officer Lu Qi also served as general manager. Baidu believes that Baidu’s smart auto business structure is relatively decentralized. Several business units are affiliated with different business groups, which is not conducive to internal resource coordination and business development. There are also doubts about the affiliation of Baidu’s related businesses.

According to internal sources, Wang Jin’s unmanned driving philosophy may not be the cooperation with Baidu’s idea of ​​developing unmanned vehicles as the general manager of the autonomous driving division. Wang Jin tried to split the unmanned vehicle business independently and financed it. At that time, the valuation given was 1 billion US dollars. But this rumors did not become a reality.

Baidu’s driverless project is not the same as Google’s. Baidu does not build its own vehicle. It only provides services for car companies. Its position in the driverless area is a “solution provider” through the cooperation with third-party car manufacturers. Cooperation to accelerate the landing of driverless technology. Currently Baidu has signed cooperation agreements with automakers such as BMW and it is expected to cooperate with manufacturers in mass production of driverless cars within 3-5 years.

Wang Jin has now disappeared from the list of senior officials on Baidu’s official website. At present, Baidu attaches great importance to the development of unmanned projects. Under the leadership of Lu Qi, how will Baidu's auto driving industry develop? We will wait and see.