GM president calls for more ICV testing zones in Shanghai

Shanghai should cater more areas where consumers can try out the most advanced technologies related to intelligent connected vehicles (ICV), said Julian Blissett, president of General Motors China.

Blissett made the comments during an interview prior to the 33rd meeting of the International Business Leaders' Advisory Council which would be held in Shanghai on Friday. Initiated in 1989, the council has grown into an international think tank for Shanghai where multinational companies' top executives gather annually to share their knowledge and experience.

As Blissett pointed out, ICV technologies are currently experimented and demonstrated in small isolated areas such as Jiading in the northern part of Shanghai. But Chinese consumers, especially those in Shanghai, are very tech-savvy and willing to try new products and services. By introducing more area for such experiments, the ICV sector in China would be able to achieve more substantial growth.

The possibility of Shanghai developing policies and business mechanisms to test GM's fully autonomous robot taxi can also be studied, said Blissett.

During this year's IBLAC meeting, GM will touch on three major themes - fostering a culture of automotive culture, encouraging infrastructure to support ICVs and allowing people to experience different products and services.