Visitors try artificial intelligence application at the Beijing Auto Show in Beijing,  April 28, 2024. (PHOTO:XINHUA)

By Staff Reporters

With the rapid development of intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs), automobiles are gradually developing from transportation tools into mobile intelligent terminals. As an emerging industry, it is aligned to the development requirements of the new quality productive forces (NQPF), and has the potential to make great contributions to China's economic development.

The 2024 Government Work Report outlined the importance of developing the automobile industry to become more high-end, smarter and greener. It stated that the leading position of intelligent connected NEVs should be consolidated and enhanced through integrating with various sci-tech sectors.

Intelligent connected NEVs aid transformation

NQPF are advanced productivities in the contemporary world, generated by revolutionary technological breakthroughs, innovative allocation of production factors, and deep industrial transformation and upgrading, said Liu Fawang, deputy director of the Equipment Industry Development Center of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Liu believes the automobile industry has become a model for, and application carrier of, NQPF.

Liu indicated that the automobile industry's transformation is driven by technological advancements. It is transitioning from traditional energy to new energy, and new production methods are replacing traditional ones. The intelligent connected NEVs integrate new energy, new materials, new information technology, advanced manufacturing and other new technologies.

The new generation of electronic and electrical architecture and large computing power chips have been installed in vehicles, such as self-driving taxis, driverless buses, autonomous valet parking, and trunk logistics. Scenario demonstration applications continue to advance, and pilots for access and on-road access of intelligent connected vehicles and "vehicle-road-cloud integration" application pilots are currently underway. This has laid a solid foundation for the innovative development of related industries.

Trend gathers momentum

 The "Notice on Carrying Out Pilot Work on the Access and Road Access of Intelligent Connected Vehicles" jointly issued by four departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, received a positive response from the market. Enterprises in the industry chain are enthusiastic to get involved and have expressed their desire to actively participate in the pilot application and jointly promote further development of the industry."

Supported by technology research and development and favorable policies, the smart connected NEVs are expected to achieve a transformation and play a leading role in the future. For example, Baidu, Chang'an Automobile, Xpeng, Li Auto, NIO, etc. have made a lot of preparations for mass production, laying a good foundation for access to mass production and on-road pilot testing of intelligent connected vehicles," said Xie Fei, chief expert of Western China Intelligence Network.

Policy support strengthens industry

Shan Zhongde, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will improve policies and measures, accelerate the development of NQPF of intelligent connected NEVs, and expedite the development of new generation power batteries, vehicle chips, operations research and industrialize technologies such as systems and autonomous driving, advancing the resilience and competitiveness of the industrial chain and supply chain.

Sheng Qiuping, vice minister of the Ministry of Commerce, said that this year, the Ministry of Commerce will optimize new energy vehicle insurance rates, improve the social maintenance service capabilities of new energy vehicles, and encourage scrapped motor vehicle recycling and dismantling enterprises to improve their resource reuse capabilities.