At this year's China Auto show in Beijing, the talk was all about AI and robotics, including the tech that powers driverless cars. The show, held at the China International Exhibition Centre, spans 380,000 square metres—equivalent to 53 football pitches. Steve Fowler spoke with industry leaders about why China matters to car buyers worldwide and how it affects established car makers.
Hyundai's Vision for China
Jose Munoz, President and CEO of Hyundai, outlined his plan to make Hyundai big again in China. He emphasised that the Chinese market is unique due to young consumers' access to new technologies and different behaviours. Munoz noted that autonomous driving systems developed in China are easier to adapt to other markets, as the complex traffic environment—with pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles—makes systems robust. Chinese consumers are demanding on software and technology, viewing cars as living spaces. Munoz highlighted the speed of development and affordability as key exportable elements.
Mercedes-Benz on Autonomous Driving
Mathias Geisen, sales and marketing boss for Mercedes-Benz, echoed similar views. He stated that China's demanding customers, especially younger ones, drive innovation in autonomous driving and digitisation. Geisen noted that Level Two+ autonomous driving is being developed in China and will eventually come to Europe. Mercedes-Benz has an R&D hub in China to stay competitive, and being competitive there sets companies up for the rest of the world.
GAC and Aion's UK Plans
Jon Wakefield, UK general manager for Aion (a brand under GAC), explained that China is the centre of innovation and cost-effective car production. Aion is bringing the Aion V to the UK, followed by the S7 plug-in hybrid SUV. Wakefield is interested in range extender technology, which offers a larger battery with a small internal combustion engine. He noted that there are too many brands in China, causing consumer confusion, and his strategy is to focus on one brand.
Chery's Humanoid Robots
Chery chairman Yin Tongyue discussed the AiMoga humanoid robots, which draw on AI and autonomous technologies from cars. He is keeping an eye on Tesla's robot developments.
Overall, Chinese cars are raising standards and bringing useful technology to the market, a trend that benefits consumers globally.
