Horizon Journey 3 (Journey 3)
Product Overview
The Journey 3 (Journey 3 / J3) is a new-generation high-efficiency automotive AI chip released by Horizon Robotics at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition on September 26, 2020, Horizon's second mass-produced automotive chip after the Journey 2. At the launch, Horizon founder and CEO Yu Kai called automotive AI chips "the digital engine of the intelligent car".
The Journey 3 uses a 16nm process and Horizon's proprietary BPU Bernoulli 2.0 architecture (dual-core BPU), with AI compute of 5 TOPS at a typical power of only 2.5W. Compared with the Journey 2, it improves compute effectiveness, image input capability, and video codec capability while maintaining ultra-low power: the CPU is upgraded to 4 × Arm Cortex-A53 @1.2GHz, the ISP supports 6 HD + 4K inputs, and H.264 / H.265 hardware codec is natively supported, making it an ideal platform for "multi-channel AI computing + multi-channel digital video recording (DVR)". At the architecture level it is specifically optimized for MobileNet, EfficientNet, and Depthwise / Group Convolution, fitting object detection and semantic segmentation tasks.
In terms of product positioning, the Journey 3 focuses on front-view all-in-one and driving-parking integrated solutions, supporting advanced assisted driving (L2+), smart cockpit, automated parking assist (APA), crowdsourced HD map positioning, and more. On launch day, GAC R&D Center and GAC Capital signed a strategic partnership with Horizon and jointly announced the "GAC Edition Journey 3" — a customized version with joint software-hardware optimization for GAC's own deep learning networks.
Representative models carrying the Journey 3 include the Li Auto ONE (2021 model) and the Roewe RX5; it was later also carried in the Li Auto L series Pro/Air versions, BYD, FAW Hongqi, NIUTRON, and others. According to industry statistics, Journey 3 smart-driving domain controller chips had an installed base of about 165,000 units in 2024, still one of the mainstay models in the Chinese mid/low-tier smart driving market.
Core Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Architecture | Horizon BPU Bernoulli 2.0, dual-core BPU, max frequency 950 MHz, DFS support |
| Process Node | 16nm (TSMC; some sources describe a 16/12nm family process) |
| CPU | 4 × Arm Cortex-A53 @ up to 1.2 GHz, DFS support, about 12k DMIPS |
| FP16 / BF16 Compute | Not disclosed (the BPU is a fixed-point integer inference acceleration unit) |
| INT8 Compute | 5 TOPS |
| FP32 Compute | Not disclosed |
| Memory Capacity | Up to 4 GB |
| Memory Type | Off-chip 32-bit DDR4 / LPDDR4 / LPDDR4X, up to 3200 MT/s |
| Memory Bandwidth | About 12.8 GB/s (estimated from 32-bit × 3200 MT/s) |
| TDP | 2.5 W (typical power) |
| Interconnect | Not disclosed (automotive SoC; supports multi-chip solution cascading into domain controllers) |
| Interface | SoC onboard; ISP supports 6 HD cameras + 4K input; H.264/H.265 hardware codec |
| Algorithm Optimization | For object detection and semantic segmentation; MobileNet / EfficientNet; dedicated Depthwise & Group Conv optimization |
| Automotive Certification | AEC-Q100; Horizon is the first Chinese AI chip company to pass the TÜV ISO 26262 functional safety process certification |
| Launch | 2020-09 (Beijing auto show, 2020-09-26) |
| Mass Production/Availability | In production vehicles from 2021 (Li Auto ONE, Roewe RX5, etc.) |
⚠️ Specification uncertainty: Memory bandwidth is estimated from the officially published bus width (x32) and data rate (3200 MT/s); Horizon did not directly publish a bandwidth figure. The process is recorded as "16nm" (official) or "16/12nm" (third-party wiki) in different sources. ISO 26262 functional safety product-level certification (ASIL-B) was officially announced for the Journey 5; during the Journey 3 period Horizon announced only process-level ISO 26262 certification, so no product-level ASIL grade is asserted for the Journey 3 here.
Key Features
- Ultra-low power, high energy efficiency: 5 TOPS / 2.5W, energy efficiency surpassing several mainstream industry chips at the time, capable of passive cooling
- BPU Bernoulli 2.0 architecture: deeply optimized for Depthwise / Group Convolution and lightweight networks (MobileNet, EfficientNet)
- Strong image input and processing: 6 HD cameras supported, 4K supported, efficient H.264/H.265 encoding, fitting multi-channel DVR + AI computing
- Multi-scenario reuse: one chip covers L2+ assisted driving, smart cockpit, automated parking assist (APA), and crowdsourced HD map positioning
- Driving-parking integration: focused on front-view all-in-one and driving-parking integrated solutions, simplifying domain controller architecture
- OEM customization capability: joint software-hardware optimization for automakers' own deep learning networks (e.g., the "GAC Edition Journey 3")
- Tiangong Kaiwu (OpenExplorer) 2.0: upgraded companion AI development platform adding a complete data closed-loop system solution (collection and annotation → training optimization → simulation evaluation → OTA deployment)
- Scale installation: about 165,000 units installed in smart driving domain controllers in 2024 (industry statistics)
Vendor Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Company | Beijing Horizon Robotics Technology Co., Ltd. / Horizon Robotics (HKEX 9660.HK) |
| Headquarters | Beijing, China |
| Founded | 2015 |
| Founder / CEO | Yu Kai |
| Co-founder / CTO | Huang Chang |
| Partner Automakers | Audi, FAW Hongqi, SAIC, GAC, Changan, BYD, Li Auto, Great Wall, and others |
| Website | https://www.horizon.auto |
Use Cases
- ✅ L2 / L2+ advanced assisted driving front-view all-in-one units
- ✅ Driving + parking integrated (driving-parking integration) low-cost domain controller solutions
- ✅ Automated parking assist APA / surround-view perception
- ✅ Smart cockpit multimodal human-machine interaction
- ✅ Crowdsourced HD map creation and positioning
- ✅ Commercial vehicle ADAS, multi-channel DVR + AI all-in-one units
- ❌ Urban NOA / L3+ autonomous driving
- ❌ BEV + Transformer end-to-end large model deployment (neither compute nor architecture is a fit)
- ❌ Data center training / inference
Related Cards
- Horizon Journey 2 — Same vendor's previous generation, 28nm / 4 TOPS, China's first automotive-grade mass-produced AI chip
- Horizon Journey 5 — Same vendor's next-generation high-compute chip, 128 TOPS Bayesian architecture
- Horizon Journey 6 — Same vendor's current flagship, 7nm / 560 TOPS Nash architecture
- Black Sesame Huashan A1000 — Contemporary Chinese automotive competitor, 58 TOPS driving-parking integrated
- NVIDIA DRIVE Thor — International high-end automotive platform reference
References
- Horizon releases autonomous driving chip supporting multiple application scenarios (People's Daily Online Auto, 2020-09-27)
- Horizon releases the Journey 3 chip, with the Journey 5 planned for early next year (National Business Daily / People's Daily client)
- Horizon Robotics Journey series chip specification table (AlfaWiki, includes CPU / ISP / memory details)