Using visual simulation technology to reduce the trial-and-error cost of off-road vehicle modification to zero, iModding is seeking seed round financing
1. The Overlooked "Decision-making Black Hole" in a Mature Market
Currently, the scale of China's off-road vehicle modification market has reached 120 billion yuan, with an annual growth rate of 15%. The global performance car modification market is even worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The Japanese JDM culture and the European and American modification cultures have long been highly developed. However, the decision-making processes of global modification car owners are surprisingly similar: car owners search for photos and information online, and modification shop owners hold their mobile phones and verbally describe past cases. Only after the installation can they truly see the final result. Modification is like opening a blind box, and car owners can only envision what their cars will look like based on others' photos. The digital penetration rate in the decision-making and trading links of the entire modification industry is almost zero.
The root of the problem doesn't lie in users' preference for traditional methods, but in the fact that when consumers face choices with high unit price, high personalization, and high safety risks, they are extremely short of a digital decision-making tool that allows them to "simulate first, then act." Such tools exist in any mature market - there are renderings for decoration, computer assembly simulators for computer configuration, and 3D simulations for medical aesthetics. Only the automotive modification field lacks such a tool globally.
In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026 - 2030), automotive modification has transformed from a niche hobby to a new highlight of consumption in the automotive aftermarket explicitly supported by policies. It has been identified as an economic expansion direction to boost domestic demand, and the consumption potential of users' personalized needs has been fully unleashed. This is a market worth hundreds of billions of dollars with high growth, policy relaxation, and strong consumption power. However, its core transaction decision-making link still remains in the primitive stage of "word-of-mouth and manual workshops."
2. iModding Takes the Lead in Breaking Through the Global Technical Gap
The iModding off-road vehicle modification simulator is the first digital decision-making engine in China targeting the off-road vehicle modification market. At the underlying level, it builds a database of real modification parts and vehicles + a physical compatibility verification algorithm + a safety threshold system + 3D simulation. At the application level, it provides users with a digital simulation modification tool. iModding can be regarded as the "ZOL computer assembly simulator" in the automotive modification industry. It uses a game engine to instantly present changes in the vehicle's appearance and numerical values, providing users with a reliable decision-making basis.
For this purpose, iModding has developed a set of ICPAV (Input - Constraint - Transfer - Action - Verification) algorithm logic and formulated a four - level algorithm rule chain architecture from L0 to L3:
l L0 (Basic Physical Law Level): It includes algorithm rule chains at the basic physical law level such as mechanics, energy conservation, rigid body motion, and material mechanics.
l L1 (Basic Logic General Level): It is applicable to all platforms and all vehicle models. Based on the same technical structure, it is an algorithm rule chain at the basic logic general level that will be triggered by any vehicle modification.
l L2 (Vehicle Model Platform Level): It is for a certain vehicle model platform, covering the same technical applications and parts configurations. It is an algorithm rule chain at the vehicle model platform level that will be triggered by the modification of all models in this series.
l L3 (Single Vehicle Level): It is specific to a single vehicle model and is an algorithm rule chain of a single logical relationship that will only be triggered when this vehicle model is modified.
This set of algorithms covers two major energy types, fuel vehicles and new energy vehicles, involving 20 major categories of modification systems and more than 400 AFUs (Minimum Replaceable Units).
3. Digital Age vs. Agricultural Age: Significantly Reducing Users' Decision-making Costs
In the current modification scenario, users need to collect inspiration fragmentarily in platform communities and WeChat groups. The information is scattered and needs to be integrated by themselves. It is even more difficult to find references for vehicle models with low ownership. The information in the modification industry is opaque, and users are prone to make mistakes and pay for information asymmetry. The trial - and - error costs, which can easily reach thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of yuan, have to be borne by users themselves. Users know nothing about the final effect before modification and can only wait to "open the blind box." Modification shop owners can only hold their mobile phones to look through photos and verbally describe modification plans. The information communication volume is large, the user conversion cost is high, and it heavily depends on the personal experience of modification technicians, who cannot master the modification of all vehicle models.
The iModding off-road vehicle modification simulator allows users to select their vehicles and the desired modification parts, and then they can see the real - time changes in the vehicle's appearance and parameters. The system will automatically conduct compatibility and matching verifications, provide safety threshold warnings and interference prompts for related parts, and guide users to perform replacement or additional operations. Without professional knowledge, users can get what they see. They can complete the simulated modification in advance, directly reducing the trial - and - error risk and cost to zero. Modification shop owners can use the visualization tool to explain exclusive modification plans to customers, improve service quality, shorten decision - making time, increase the transaction rate, and completely get rid of the dependence on technicians' personal experience.
4. One Set of Core Technologies, Extensible to Various Modified Vehicle Models
iModding adopts a three - layer architecture:
Underlying layer - The data layer builds the foundation: It includes a huge database of vehicles and modification parts. It constructs the logical categories of vehicle and parts modification, and draws the logical network diagram of associations and interferences. It collects basic parameters, associated parameters, and 3D models for each vehicle and each part, formulates more than a hundred dimensions such as interface combinations, constraints, and adaptation associations, and establishes cross - constraint relationships.
Middle layer - The 3D engine + verification algorithm + AI assistance + Avatar system build the core barrier: Based on the optimization of the game engine and the lightweight Web rendering pipeline, it realizes that when users select parts, the system will perform real - time 3D rendering. It conducts interference detection between parts, matches the mass load, issues warnings through the safety threshold system, and performs network operations on the coupling rules of the power system. It also conducts cross - verification of algorithm rule chains on physical data, working parameters, load parameters, etc. It provides users with compatibility and matching screening, safety threshold warnings, and interference prompts for related parts. The system - level automatic verification will issue an immediate warning if there is incompatibility or insecurity. After users upload vehicle photos, AI automatically models and generates a unique vehicle model, and generates a "Modification Parts Show" through image - to - image generation, providing emotional value for users.
Application layer - The C - end tool + B - end tool + data API form a monetization path: It provides digital simulation modification tools for C - end users, reducing the trial - and - error cost, which can easily reach tens of thousands of yuan, to zero. It automatically generates a complete parts list, budget, data comparison, and appearance preview, completely eliminating the information asymmetry in the modification industry. It provides visualization products for B - end users, helping them provide efficient "what you see is what you get" services to customers, improving and reducing customer acquisition costs, and enabling modification stores to get rid of the dependence on technicians. At the same time, iModding will become the first professional database in the domestic modification industry, opening its API to professional institutions, associations, enterprises, and third - party service providers.
The set of core technologies of iModding can not only be applied to off - road vehicle modification but also be extended to performance cars, motorcycles, and even bicycle modification fields. It can not only deeply cultivate the Chinese market but also look at the global market.
5. Technology Application Expansion: Horizontal Replication and Vertical Extension
Horizontal replication ability: iModding is decoupled from vehicle models, and the upper limit of technology application is the global modification market worth hundreds of billions of dollars. For performance car modification, motorcycle modification, and bicycle modification, there is no category boundary at the technical level, and the marginal cost is extremely low. By replacing data, the same underlying engine can be directly replicated to other fields.
Vertical extension ability: Modification is just an entry point. The biggest need of users after modification is - where to go and what to do when encountering problems? The iModding team will gradually expand the product, develop an off - road route database, covering domestic off - road routes. Through real - scene collection + self - developed AI models, it dynamically integrates the road condition announcements, weather conditions, and user strategy notes scattered on various platforms along the routes planned by users, and generates a "real - time" road condition simulation preview of the routes. In view of the particularity of off - road travel, it integrates fragmented information for users, helps them understand and predict the route conditions, provides safety warning prompts and information push for emergencies, and provides technical support for off - road travel. At the same time, it builds an off - road service database, covering domestic off - road service information, including professional guides, clubs, team leaders, rescue services, and service providers outside the road network that mainstream platforms have not yet involved, such as catering and accommodation in off - road hinterlands. It provides users with one - stop off - road travel service information and safety travel support, and provides commercial information services to service providers, KOLs, and individuals around off - road culture.
The vertical extension ability determines the length of the user life cycle and breaks the upper limit of user payment. Moreover, the three - layer databases are interconnected at the underlying level, forming a digital product closed - loop of "vehicle modification → travel → service", and they are barriers to each other.
6. Business Model: Driven by Multiple Revenues
iModding offers all simulation modification functions to C - end users for free and sets up value - added paid services. For example, users can upload their vehicle photos to create a unique vehicle model. After completing the simulated modification, they can download the 3D model file and import it into a simulated racing game. Such services are value - added paid items.
For B - end users, it adopts a tool subscription + user - to - store commission model, providing B - end customers with visualization tool display, customer management, drainage, and data background services.
iModding will gradually open the mall function with the update of functions. Users can place an order for the modification list with one click and have it installed at the store, increasing CPS commission income, and will gradually open up businesses such as advertising and insurance.
7. Team: Dual Cross - border Genes, Understanding Both Code Complexity and Track Bumpiness
Wu Jinmeng, the founder of iModding, is one of the few founders in China with dual genes of "Internet products" and "real modification industry." He once served as the operation director of 17Game, with 15 years of experience in the game industry. He has operated and managed well - known online games such as "RuneScape," "EVE," and "The Lord of the Rings." As the co - founder of VR No. 1 Player, he led the solution to the data penetration problem of VR games and led the development of a dedicated SaaS + BI system. In the off - road industry, he is an off - road track designer. The 3.7 - hectare Ningbo Big Fun Gathering off - road track he designed and built has been commercially operated. He is also an off - road vehicle modification designer. The camping vehicle he designed and developed based on the BJ40 chassis has completed the announcement compliance sales. He also served as the on - site general in charge of the 18th Alashan Hero Meeting of the largest off - road culture event in China.
The core development team members are all from well - known international and domestic Internet and game companies such as Gameloft, Apple (USA), and Kongzhong.com. The modification consulting team consists of the heads of the modification project teams of off - road vehicle manufacturers, automotive engineering personnel, modification technicians of off - road rally teams, owners of off - road modification stores, champions of world off - road rally sub - races, and coaches of the China Automobile and Motorcycle Federation.
8. Stage Progress and Financing Needs
iModding has currently completed the development of the core rule algorithm and has fully entered the data collection stage. It will gradually conduct real - vehicle verification in the future. It is now seeking 6.5 million yuan in seed - round financing. The funds will be used for product and technology iteration: engine iteration, core algorithm upgrade, data dimension expansion, and AI model development; as well as data construction: data collection, 3D modeling, real - vehicle testing, and cooperation with manufacturers.
The Chinese automotive modification industry will make a leap from the agricultural age that relies on experience and word - of - mouth to the digital civilization driven by data and where what you see is what you get. iModding will be the digital infrastructure that must be established in this leap process, filling the gap of the "credible decision - making engine" in the entire industry and even the global modification market. iModding looks forward to starting from the singularity with you and jointly entering this huge and primitive market.