Xinhua: China’s auto industry accelerating towards intelligent transformation
Chinese automakers have surged to the forefront of the global market for new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and are exploring strategies to gain an edge over their rivals in a more challenging stage of the market race that increasingly relies on smart developments and AI. One of the latest events in this direction was the World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference (WICV), held in Beijing from October 17th-19th, Xinhua reports.
The conference was attended by over 250 automotive companies and institutions from China and abroad, with more than 200 new technologies and products unveiled.
“Intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) have become a focus of industry innovation, and Chinese automobiles are accelerating into a new stage with intelligence as their core competitiveness,” Chairman of Geely Holding Group Li Shufu noted, adding that seizing the opportunities offered by intelligent technology and helping China become a powerful automotive powerhouse is a challenge that the entire Chinese automotive industry must address.
China’s ICV sector now has about 400 ‘little giants’ (small and medium-sized enterprises at an early stage of development that specialise in niche markets and have the ability to develop their own products). Five Chinese lidar companies are among the top 10 global sales leaders, while nine carmakers are testing conditional automated driving models.
Global players such as Volkswagen are also accelerating their intelligent transformation in a bid to expand their presence in the Chinese market.
According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Informatisation, to support China’s rapid industrial development, over 50 cities have allocated more than 32,000km of test routes for ICVs and upgraded about 10,000km of roads with smart technology.
