- The Maextro S800 and Aito M9 will be equipped with 896-channel LiDAR, the highest specification globally.
- The luxury models aim to challenge the dominance of German incumbents like Porsche and Mercedes-Benz in China's high-end automotive segment.
Huawei's Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) announced on Wednesday that pre-orders have officially opened for the new Maextro S800 and Aito M9. Both models will be equipped with next-generation LiDAR technology from Huawei's Qiankun automotive solutions business.
Richard Yu, chairman of Huawei's smart car business, announced at a HIMA event that the new Maextro S800 and Aito M9 start at 728,000 yuan ($105,310) and 479,800 yuan, respectively. These prices apply to configurations featuring the new 896-channel LiDAR.
The company described the 896-channel sensor as the highest-specification LiDAR currently available for mass production globally. Entry-level versions equipped with 192-channel LiDAR are also available, starting at 708,000 yuan for the S800 and 469,800 yuan for the M9.
Huawei claims the 896-channel dual-path imaging-grade LiDAR represents an industry breakthrough. The new hardware elevates perception capabilities from traditional "point-cloud" levels to a more sophisticated "imaging-grade" standard.
The new LiDAR utilizes Huawei's proprietary dual-path technology, integrating two detection units with different focal lengths. This architecture allows the system to simultaneously handle ultra-long-range identification and wide-angle near-field perception.
Official data shows the system can accurately identify objects as small as 14 centimeters at a distance of 120 meters. This capability enables vehicles to smoothly avoid obstacles like gravel or fallen tires even when traveling at high speeds.
The sensor's point-cloud density per frame is seven times higher than that of mainstream 128-channel LiDARs. This massive increase in data points significantly improves perception stability during extreme weather conditions.
Beyond the Maextro S800 and Aito M9, the 896-channel LiDAR will also be deployed across other brands under the HIMA umbrella and more Huawei-partnered models, local media outlet Cailian reported on Wednesday.
The rollout of these updated models comes as Huawei-backed brands accelerate their capture of market share from German luxury giants. These incumbents have long dominated China's high-end automotive sector.
The Maextro S800 has delivered 15,000 units within nine months of its launch. Between September 2025 and January 2026, the S800's insurance registrations surpassed those of the Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, according to Yu.
The Aito M9 has also seen significant commercial success, with cumulative deliveries surpassing 280,000 units as of March 3. The SUV has consistently outperformed established rivals in the large luxury SUV category, Yu said.
Competition in China's EV market remains fierce, particularly in the critical field of autonomous driving components. Suppliers are locked in a technical arms race to provide the most advanced hardware for next-generation vehicles.
Domestic LiDAR makers RoboSense Technology and Hesai Group have also unveiled 1,000-channel-level products last year as automakers increasingly rely on high-precision sensors for safety and automation.
($1 = 6.9128 yuan)
