On June 13, the 2026 Chongqing International Auto Exhibition opened in Chongqing, attracting major automakers from China and abroad to present their latest vehicles and automotive technologies. (Photo/Chongqing International Auto Exhibition)

Chongqing - The 2026 Chongqing International Auto Exhibition opened on June 13, featuring more than 100 global automotive brands, including Changan, BYD and Tesla. Smart mobility and intelligent vehicle technologies are among the main highlights of this year’s event.

As one of Chongqing’s leading automakers, Changan Automobile showcased its latest achievements in vehicle intelligence at the exhibition. Zhu Huarong, Chairman of China Changan Automobile Group, said intelligence has become an inevitable trend in global technological development.

He said new energy vehicles have opened the prelude to a new era, while digital and intelligent vehicles will define the future. Cars of the future will be self-evolving intelligent robotic vehicles.

Pan Yifeng, Senior Chief Engineer of Intelligent Driving at Changan Automobile, said the company unveiled Changan SDA Pilot 2.0 at the exhibition. The upgraded system will be introduced in new vehicle models this year and gradually deployed across applicable vehicles.

In cockpit function development, Changan is focusing on two areas. The first is upgrading the cockpit experience by better integrating sound, lighting and electronic features with the in-vehicle system to enhance interaction between users and vehicles.

The second is cockpit-driving integration, which aims to bring functions and systems across different domains together in a more organic and unified way, delivering a more complete intelligent experience for users.

On June 13, AVATR's concept car, VISION XPECTRA, made its Chongqing debut at the 2026 Chongqing International Auto Exhibition. (Photo/Chongqing International Auto Exhibition)

Beyond automakers’ intelligent technology showcases, this year’s exhibition also includes the 2026 Auto AI Expo, dedicated to technologies powering the next generation of smart vehicles. Covering batteries, autonomous driving, chips and smart cockpits, the event brings together industry leaders such as Huawei, CATL and Bosch to showcase innovations shaping the future automotive ecosystem.

Electrification also remained a major focus at the exhibition, with traditional automakers accelerating their shift toward new energy vehicles. Volvo unveiled two new electric models in Chongqing, further expanding the event’s lineup of EV offerings.

According to the China Passenger Car Association, China’s fuel car retail sales fell 39% year on year in May, while the retail penetration rate of new energy vehicles exceeded 60%. This means more than six in every 10 new cars sold were NEVs.