Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has demonstrated significant therapeutic potential in hematologic malignancies (particularly B-cell malignancies). However, its broad application faces considerable challenges, including complex ex vivo manufacturing processes and high production costs. In recent years, with rapid advancements in RNA therapeutics and targeted delivery systems, in vivo generation of chimeric antigen receptor T cells (in vivo CAR-T) has emerged as an innovative strategy. This approach utilizes viral vectors or lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) as targeted delivery systems to directly introduce genetic material encoding the CAR into patients, enabling in vivo T cell engineering. This strategy fundamentally eliminates the need for cumbersome ex vivo cell manipulation steps and traditional chemotherapy-based preconditioning regimens. This article systematically reviews the technological progress and nonclinical research considerations for in vivo CAR-T. As in vivo CAR-T combines attributes of both gene therapy and cell therapy, involves diverse delivery vectors, and exhibits varied types and complex mechanisms, its nonclinical studies can be guided by risk-based, case-by-case principles. Within the framework of existing relevant technical guidelines, scientifically sound nonclinical studies should be rationally designed and conducted to generate robust experimental data supporting clinical trials and marketing approval.