Auto development gains speed in China, says Valeo executive

Automotive development in China is faster than ever, said a senior executive of French automotive supplier Valeo at the Beijing auto show that runs to May 4.

Francois Marion, senior vice-president of the group's corporate communications and investor relations, made the remark in an interview with China Daily on Friday.

Marion was president of Valeo China from 2018 to 2022. He said it took 12 months back then for Valeo's China team to develop a product with local Chinese carmakers, but now the same project takes around seven to eight months to meet their demands.

He said he has also seen the rise of Chinese carmakers' popularity in the country, which is because of their swift transition towards electrification.

New energy vehicles' high acceptance in China includes such factors as price parity with gasoline vehicles as well as readily accessible charging infrastructure, said Marion.

The rise of Chinese carmakers' popularity has been reflected in Valeo's business in the country.

Marion said now Chinese carmakers account for more than 50 percent of the group's orders in China, which is its largest market across the globe.

Among other things, Valeo offers solutions in the fields of electrification, driving assistance systems, smart lighting and software.

Marion said the group's success story in China relies on "the seeds" Valeo has planted over the past years, as well as its growing engineering and development capabilities in the country.

Valeo is celebrating its 30th anniversary in the country this year. The group opened its first sites in 1994 and now owns 35 production sites and 14 R&D centers with more than 18,000 employees including 4,500 R&D engineers.

Over the past three decades, Valeo has become deeply involved in the country's automotive industry, moving from "made in China" to "invented with China". Last year, China represented 17 percent of its global sales in 2023.