The Recent Automotive Technology Revolution in China

Eric boasts of an extensive 34 years long experience in International Automotive Sales, Strategy Formu- lation, Business Development, Marketing & Communi- cation and many other areas across US, Europe and China regions.

Currently positioned as the biggest automotive mar- ket in the world, China is witnessing an increasing number of players entering into the automotive industry. To further encourage this booming sector, the Chinese government is not only implementing a lot of regulatory policies and frameworks, but also offering subsidies to automotive industry OEMs that are producing new energy vehicles such as electric power-trains. Given such fine conditions, there is a heightened competition within the market, forcing the automotive companies to make significant investments in terms of innovation and technology R&D, especially in the areas of sustainability and green energy. Furthermore, today's tech-savvy customers have a heightened awareness about the latest advancements in the automotive sector and thus want to buy cars that are equipped with all the latest features and functionalities. Additionally, the amount of electrification that is being done into the vehicles is also witnessing an upsurge lately, making it possible for a variety of tech upgrades to be implemented into the vehicles. As a result, vehicles are now able to interact more efficiently with both the driver as well as the outside world.

Battery Technology & Charging Infrastructure

Charging EVs costs very less as compared to fueling ICE vehicles, thus making it more affordable and sustainable for the users. Although EVs are gaining widespread acceptance in recent times, the range that these vehicles offer and the time duration that is required for them to get fully charged have been the primary concerns for customers across the world. To successfully overcome this hurdle, OEMs today are focusing majority of their R&D efforts on developing supercharging stations that enable users to charge their vehicles in very short time frames. Furthermore, keeping the convenience of the drivers in mind, OEMs are now going a step further and making their battery designs more portable and easily swappable.

Cybersecurity in Connected Cars & Autonomous Vehicles

The latest advancements in technology lately have enabled us to operate most of the car’s critical aspects such as engine and battery electrically, and even remotely in many cases. Additionally, cars today are also being increasingly integrated with IoT and automation technologies, making it possible to personalize the vehicle's behavior based on driver's past preferences and data patterns. While this is a very good sign for the automotive industry, it also brings along a host of concerns pertaining to the security of these connected cars. As a result, most of the connected cars are today equipped with the latest security features that prevent any unauthorized individuals to connect their devices with your vehicle to steal data or make any alterations to its behavior and functionality. Additionally, most of the countries across  the world today are implementing stringent regulatory policies and frameworks around the security of connected vehicles that every manufacturer must follow.

Sustainable Practices in Automotive Manufacturing

Traditionally, automotive industry worldwide has been one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions and other forms of environmental pollution. While the introduction of NEVs (New Energy Vehicles) has already contributed immensely towards environmental sustainability, the focus is now slowly shifting towards implementing sustainable practices across various aspects of the automotive manufacturing plant such as optimizing power consumption, waste reduction & management, using renewable energy sources and many others. While China was earlier as one of the biggest contributors for environmental pollution, the scenario has changes drastically in recent time with majority of the companies now focusing more  on integrating sustainable practices across their entire operations - right from sourcing raw materials to final production phase.

Future Trends & Prospects

The increased electrification of vehicles that we are witnessing in recent times has resulted in an increasing number of customers opting for NEVs. Currently, the penetration of NEVs in China which stood at a mere 0.5 percent few years back has now increased to 30 percent. Additionally, the Chinese government also aspires to increase the NEV market share to 50 percent by 2030. Considering the massive focus that both the government and private sector organizations are showing in this regard, I strongly believe that this trend of increased NEV adoption will continue to grow further, enabling the country to cross its expected target 50 percent market share well before 2030.