DeepBlue Technology(深兰科技), a Shanghai-based AI company, has promoted its industrial chain layout in the autonomous driving and new energy vehicle sectors, reported Pandaily on December 2.

Panda Automobile (Shanghai), which is wholly-owned by DeepBlue, completed two deals of mergers and acquisitions, namely of FHA Automobile Manufacturing and Hunan Jialijian New Energy Technology on November 30.

Among them, FHA Automobile Manufacturing is a traditional vehicle manufacturer with complete vehicle production qualification, R&D, sales and after-sales service capabilities. Its products include various kinds of trucks and special vehicles. After Panda Automobile completes the merger, the firm will become the production base of DeepBlue Technology’s self-driving vehicles, Pandaily said.

Chen Haibo, the founder and chairman of DeepBlue Technology, said that his company would jointly establish a joint venture with FHA Automobile Manufacturing to focus on hydrogen trucks and explore automobile battery swapping services at the same time. “Battery costs account for 40% of the cost of new energy vehicles, which has become an important factor affecting consumers’ car choices. It is necessary for the company to lay out in advance,” said Chen.

Hunan Jialijian New Energy Technology is mainly engaged in new energy battery recycling and cascade utilization. After signing the contract, it will start battery banking services and a recycling project of automobile batteries.

In October, DeepBlue Technology and Shandong Taishan Iron & Steel Group also established a joint venture. The two sides will produce unmanned new energy intelligent sanitation vehicles and equipment. The new venture will carry out stainless steel hydrogen energy movable storage equipment and hydrogen energy output based on the hydrogen production capacity of Taishan Iron & Steel Group, Pandaily noted.

Founded in 2014, DeepBlue Technology has made extensive efforts in the fields of commercial robots and intelligent retail equipment. DeepBlue Academy of Sciences runs an AI technology center for research, application and education. The academy has a core R&D team of more than 90 people, working on over 40 core algorithms and original technologies of AI.

In the field of intelligent driving, DeepBlue Technology’s products cover buses, taxis, logistics vehicles and sweepers; It also has products implemented in ports and mines, according to Pandaily.