Digital innovation is the fundamental driver of manufacturing transformation and the enhancement of global competitiveness. Based on symbiosis theory, the enterprise-dominated analytical perspective was expanded, and digital product users were incorporated into the research framework. A multiple actors Lotka-Volterra dynamic evolution model composed of core manufacturing enterprises, supporting enterprises and digital product users was established. Numerical simulations were conducted via Matlab to explore the symbiosis evolution pattern. The results revealed that the mutualistic symbiosis pattern is the optimal mode for system evolution, which promotes the coordinated symbiotic development of all actors within the system. Non-mutualistic symbiosis patterns restrict the overall development scale of the system. Although parasitic symbiosis and commensal symbiosis could temporarily enhance the competitiveness of individual actors, the overall stability of symbiotic collaboration was undermined. Further findings indicated that digital product users, as value co-creators of the ecosystem, provide irreplaceable demands and feedback for ecosystem innovation. The case of BYD’s intelligent vehicle digital innovation ecosystem fully verified that the sustainable collaborative symbiotic value of "1+1+1>3" can be generated under the optimal mutualistic symbiosis pattern. Accordingly, relevant suggestions were put forward to consolidate mutualistic symbiosis, eliminate parasitic dependence and stimulate demand-driven development.