Chongqing - Li Keqiang, an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, highlighted that changes in the intelligent connected vehicle sector affect not just the vehicles but also the development and application models of key components. This shift is driving industry-wide upgrades, as noted at the 2024 Conference for Intelligent Connected and New Energy Vehicle Component Industry on September 29 in Chongqing.

Countries worldwide are investing in intelligent connected vehicles, particularly in commercializing Level 3 technologies, which refer to partially automated or conditional driving.

Li Keqiang, an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, gave a speech at the 2024 Conference for Intelligent Connected and New Energy Vehicle Component Industry. (Photo/Chen Yuting)

"All industrialized countries are planning in this regard, and the United States, the European Union, and Japan are making significant progress," said Li. By 2030, many nations anticipate achieving commercial viability for highly autonomous driving, which will offer consumers safer and more convenient driving experiences, heavily reliant on a robust supply of key components.

Sensors, chips, and computing platforms are key components for intelligent connected vehicles. These must meet high-performance standards and integrate seamlessly with vehicle systems. Despite significant advancements, the industry still faces considerable challenges in commercialization.

Li pointed out that the limitations of single-vehicle intelligence hinder many technologies from fully realizing their potential. Many manufacturers overlook the importance of synergy among data, computational power, and algorithms in AI applications, leading to subpar overall intelligence levels. Moreover, customer acceptance of intelligent connected vehicles remains a hurdle, contributing to product shortages and ineffective business models.

Li proposed several strategies to address these challenges, advocating for reassessing component development models through a decoupled, layered approach. He specifically suggested separating the component industry into foundational and application layers, with the former focused on open sharing and the latter on independent development. This structure would enhance development efficiency and promote collaborative innovation across components.

As technological advancements accelerate, intelligent connected vehicles have emerged as a pivotal focus for the global automotive industry's transformation. Chongqing boasts a robust automotive industry foundation featuring 19 vehicle manufacturers producing a full spectrum of vehicles, including light, heavy, passenger, micro, and sedans.

The city is home to over 1,200 substantial automotive parts manufacturers, including renowned domestic and international firms such as Denso, Continental, Magna, and Fudi. This concentration of resources supports Chongqing’s automotive sector with strong technological and market backing.

As a national "dual pilot" city, Chongqing should leverage this opportunity to align its infrastructure with the needs of enterprises in the intelligent connected vehicle sector. Li emphasized the importance of establishing foundational platforms, such as information security and high-precision dynamic mapping, to support the advancement of intelligent connected vehicles.

From January to August 2024, Chongqing’s automotive production reached 1.54 million units, reflecting an 11% year-on-year increase and accounting for 8.2% of the national total. In the electric vehicle sector, output during the same period totaled 525,000 units, soaring by 151.4%.

Chongqing aims to establish a trillion-yuan intelligent connected electric vehicle industry cluster by 2027, further enhancing its leadership in this sector.