Experts discuss export of Chinese intelligent connected vehicles

Exporting Chinese intelligent connected vehicles, or ICVs, should adhere to the compliance requirements set by the targeted countries, and facilitate localization based on the export markets, experts said at a conference entitled The Pathways to Ensure Compliance for ICVs, in Beijing on Oct 27.

The event, organized by the Chinese Society of Automotive Engineers and the Global Alliance of Overseas Chinese Societies of Automotive Engineers, discussed the future focus of exporting China-made ICVs.

ICVs are considered next-generation vehicles that utilize advanced technologies involving chips, big data and artificial intelligence, that enable cars to connect to the internet to achieve safe, comfortable and energy-efficient driving.

A wide range of functions are offered by ICVs, such as autonomous driving, real-time traffic information and path planning, infotainment, and more.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in China has identified the ICV industry as an important driver in the high-quality development of the auto market.

Liu Xu, director at the technology management center of Geely Automobile Holdings Limited, said compliance issues need to be highly emphasized, with laws and regulations of the targeted markets in terms of market access, environmental protection, energy conservation, internet security, data security, sales rules, and more, being fully understood.

"These are the proactive assessments and preparations that we should make for going global," he said.

Tao Jianbo, chief engineer of advanced driver assistance systems and virtualization in the China office of AVL List Gmbh, an Austrian mobility technology company in the automotive industry, used the European Union's auto market as an example, to explain the importance and application of localization.

As the user needs, traffic laws and driving environments vary across the bloc, companies need to research details of the local driving environments, and conduct various types of testing, such as virtualization, simulation, and real-world testing, to enhance the reliability of China-made ICVs, said Tian.

Tian also emphasized that keeping close comminution with the partners in the 27-country bloc is essential.

Ma Xiao, head of product management at the intelligent driving center of Zeekr, a premium Chinese EV brand under Geely, said the international expansion of China's smart vehicles has been an "unstoppable" trend, while the opportunities and challenges coexist.

"We have a large domestic market and a competitive industry, providing fertile ground for the development of pioneering products," he pointed out.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in 2022, around 7 million new passenger vehicles equipped with driver assistance systems and intelligent connected vehicle technology were sold in China, achieving a market penetration rate of 34.9 percent.

In the first half of this year, the market penetration rate further increased to 42.4 percent.

"However, at the same time, when it comes to exports, we have a limited understanding of the environment in the exported markets. So we need to get fully prepared for the upcoming risks and challenges," he added.