The 2024 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference kicked off in Beijing today. The head of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) highlighted that China’s intelligent connected vehicle industry has made remarkable progress.
**Interviewer:** Can you elaborate on the advancements in China’s intelligent connected vehicle industry?
**Minister Jin Zhuanglong:** We’ve established a comprehensive industrial system that includes foundational chips, sensors, computing platforms, chassis control, and cloud connectivity. In terms of technology, our human-machine interaction is globally competitive, with rapid breakthroughs in areas like steer-by-wire and active suspension systems.
**Interviewer:** That’s impressive! What infrastructure developments have been made to support this industry?
**Minister Jin Zhuanglong:** We’re accelerating the rollout of essential infrastructure. Currently, over 50 cities across the nation are conducting road testing demonstrations for intelligent connected vehicles, with 32,000 kilometers of road open for testing. We’ve also completed approximately 10,000 kilometers of intelligent road transformations and installed more than 8,700 roadside units.
**Interviewer:** How is China positioned in the global intelligent connected vehicle market?
**Minister Jin Zhuanglong:** In this sector, we have nurtured nearly 400 specialized small and medium-sized enterprises, with five lidar companies ranking among the top ten globally in sales. Additionally, we’ve deepened international cooperation with Europe, Japan, and the U.S., collaborating on developing regulations for autonomous driving.
**Interviewer:** What are your expectations for advancements in autonomous driving technology?
**Minister Jin Zhuanglong:** With the rapid development of computing power, big data, and large models, we anticipate significant breakthroughs in advanced driving technology, entering a new development stage for intelligent connected vehicles.
**Interviewer:** Can you outline the four key areas that China will focus on to promote new industrial development?
**Minister Jin Zhuanglong:** Certainly. First, in terms of integrated innovation, we will focus on new-generation electronic and electrical architecture, high-performance chips, domain controllers, and ultra-intelligent systems, connecting data to promote collaboration with smart grids, transportation, and cities.
Second, we’ll expand application scenarios by initiating integrated vehicle-road-cloud pilot projects and broadening applications across logistics, public transport, taxi services, and sanitation.
Third, we’ll improve standards and regulations that address road safety, insurance, and the establishment of robust management systems for high-level autonomous driving, alongside accelerating the development of safety standards concerning functionality, cyber security, and data protection.
Lastly, I’d like to highlight that under the UN International Organization for Standardization framework, we plan to enhance cooperation with other countries on standard regulations and explore policies that facilitate cross-border data flow.
**Interviewer:** What groundbreaking achievements have been announced during this conference?
**Minister Jin Zhuanglong:** During the conference, representatives from the Chinese Academy of Engineering unveiled ten major breakthroughs in the global intelligent connected vehicle landscape. These include significant advancements in AI technologies for vehicles based on large models, the integration of intelligence and networking as a vital technical pathway, and a new central computing architecture that launches industrial practices.
Other breakthroughs include enhancements in smart chassis for vehicle control and safety, improvements in safety technology for autonomous driving systems, a transformative closed-loop approach for vehicle-cloud data, large-scale deployment of driver assistance technologies, acceleration in the research and development of L3 and above intelligent connected vehicles, key legislative progress in major countries, and a global push for standards in autonomous driving regulations.
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