Innovations raise China's automotive industry to new heights

Riding on the waves of electrification, intelligence and sustainability, China-based car manufactures are innovating to help elevate the country's automotive industry to new heights.

Amid the reshaping of the global automotive industry, China has achieved a rapid transformation from a technology follower to a technology innovator in just two decades, according to a renowned Chinese car expert.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said the country's automobile production and sales both exceeded 31 million units in 2024, setting a new record. Among them, the export of automobiles reached 5.86 million units, a year-on-year rise of 19.3 percent, further cementing its position as the largest automobile exporting country.

Chen Ting, a leading figure in China's automotive industry, said that due to a profound understanding of technological value and industrial patterns, China-based car manufactures are continuously innovating and developing market-driven products, lifting China's automotive industry to new heights.

He said the rise of China's automotive industry resulted from a combination of technological breakthroughs, supply chain collaboration and global market opportunities.

"This reflected a uniquely Chinese technological development path, transitioning from 'technology introduction' to 'independent innovation'," said Chen, who acts as the chief operating officer for China unit and executive director of supporting businesses for Asia-Pacific region of a globally renowned multinational tire company.

Joint venture automakers have consistently expanded in the Chinese market since first entering it in 1983, leading to a leap-forward development of the country's automotive industry, said Chen, adding that by 2013, Chinese domestic brands began to emerge prominently, with local automakers' innovation capabilities and supply chains continuously improving.

Behind this leap forward is a group of industry changemakers who have continuously driven the localization and globalization of technology through practical efforts.

In 2013, when Chen served as Asia-Pacific director of Marelli Automotive Lighting, he helped drive a $20-million automotive lighting 50:50 joint venture project between Marelli and Changan Automobile — Hubei Huazhong Marelli Automotive Lighting Co Ltd.

While managing the joint venture, Chen abandoned the traditional long-cycle technology transfer approach and proposed a "localization of joint ventures" strategic model.

He also launched technological integration from a global perspective back in 2020, when a critical turning point came for the global automotive industry, with the sector facing three major transformations — accelerated restructuring of new energy technology pathways, continuous tightening of environmental standards worldwide, and profound adjustments to the global supply chain system.

Chen seized the historic opportunity presented by the flow of technology between China and Brazil, promptly advancing Marelli's dual-direction technology transfer strategy from two key directions.

Starting from 2022, Chen's localized innovations have generated hundreds of millions of yuan in annual sales for Marelli, setting a benchmark for the green upgrading of China's automotive industry.

In recent years, the global new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has experienced rapid growth, bringing forth entirely new demands for tire technology, Chen said.

However, electric vehicles differ fundamentally from traditional fuel vehicles in various aspects, including weight, safety requirements, driving range and noise levels.

"These differences pose unique challenges for tire design in pure electric vehicles, making their tire requirements significantly distinct from those of fuel vehicles," said Chen, noting that since 2023, he shifted his innovation focus towards the electric vehicle tire sector.

Leveraging his deep industry expertise and forward-looking technological vision, he has integrated AI technology with traditional manufacturing processes, leading his team to achieve a series of breakthroughs in materials science, structural design and intelligent systems.

These were demonstrated by their innovations in run-flat tire technology, range improvement and tire noise issues, he said.

"From technology adoption and digestion to independent innovation, and from market follower to technology leader, China's automotive industry has been growing in an upgrading trajectory, and will advance to new heights," said Chen.

Shen Zhixing also contributed to this story.

Please contact the writer at tanguoling@chinadaily.com.cn