The 2019 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference, jointly hosted by the Beijing Municipal People's Government, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Transport, and the China Association for Science and Technology, is in full swing. On the morning of October 23, the conference’s main forum concluded successfully. Thirteen heavyweight guests—including academicians, experts, and business leaders from home and abroad—delivered insightful analyses on all aspects of the development of intelligent connected vehicles, based on this year’s conference theme: “Co-build an Ecosystem, Lead the Future with Intelligence.” Our editor has compiled the core viewpoints of these 13 guests for our readers’ enjoyment.

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Xu Liuping, Chairman of First Automobile Group Co., Ltd.

The report is titled “Driving Innovation, Guided by Demand, Achieving Win-Win Cooperation, and Accelerating the Chinese Automotive Industry’s Leap to New Heights in Intelligent and Connected Technologies.”

Smart and connected vehicles: Demand is the foundation—meeting humanity’s diverse needs; innovation is the key—innovations such as artificial intelligence and big data are driving the automotive industry forward; win-win cooperation is the way forward—automakers, telecom companies, internet enterprises, and others can collaborate and share resources to build an alliance for foundational platforms.

FAW and Hongqi have set a series of technical goals for intelligent connected vehicles and have defined three strategies:

1. Autonomy—Develop and master core technologies at the customer level;

2. Grouping—Building a technical platform for partners in fields such as components, software, and hardware systems;

3. Collaboration—For foundational, common, and shared technologies, conduct R&D through collaboration.

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Zhang Baolin, Chairman of Changan Automobile

Three recommendations for seizing the commanding heights in the development of intelligent connected vehicles:

First, strengthen top-level design, improve the policy environment, and encourage and guide social capital to participate in the research and development of intelligent connected vehicles. Leverage the role of the capital market and innovate business models for intelligent connected vehicles.

Second, we will break through key technologies and build an industrial ecosystem by incorporating critical technology and technology攻关 projects into major national initiatives. We will achieve breakthroughs in core technologies such as lidar, high-precision sensors, automotive chips, and cloud technology platforms, thereby meeting the application requirements of intelligent connected vehicles. We will also increase investment in foundational materials, basic processes, fundamental components, and basic technologies to establish a comprehensive industrial ecosystem.

Third, improve the legal and regulatory framework to enable commercial operations. Conduct research on the applicability of legal and regulatory provisions, promote coordinated collaboration between management rules for intelligent connected vehicles and judicial oversight, and focus on refining China’s standards system for intelligent connected vehicles, thereby addressing common foundational issues in the communication and IT infrastructure of connected vehicles.

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Xu Heyi, Chairman of Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd.

Smart and connected vehicles are rapidly developing: Since the official launch of the Dolphin+ strategy at last year’s conference, BAIC Group has made significant progress across four major strategic areas—intelligent technologies, intelligent products, intelligent ecosystems, and intelligent transportation—focusing on five key evolutionary dimensions: protection, optimization, liberation, personalization, and harmony.

Looking ahead, BAIC Group will continue to firmly implement its “Dolphin+” strategy. By continuously achieving breakthroughs in key technologies such as automotive chips and consolidating its core competencies in intelligent technologies, we will scale up the mass production of L3 and L4 advanced-level products, crossing the critical threshold for smart vehicles. We will also embrace open collaboration on an even larger scale and with greater intensity, building a community of intelligent ecosystems. Furthermore, by showcasing our solutions in response to major demands—such as those related to the Winter Olympics and the Xiong’an New Area—we will set a new benchmark for intelligent transportation.

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Wang Xiaoqiu, President of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation

Through years of exploration and accumulation, SAIC has come to increasingly recognize that for intelligent connected vehicles to achieve commercial deployment and truly become mobile smart terminals and ecosystem service platforms, they must adopt a global perspective and an open mindset. This requires driving development that is scenario-driven, software-defined, and data-driven, while adhering to four key principles:

First, we must stay true to the needs and pain points of local consumers as well as their actual usage scenarios, thereby driving the commercialization and implementation of intelligent connected vehicle products.

II. Uphold leveraging the advantages of both international and domestic industrial chains and resources, and achieve high-quality development through high-level cooperation.

Third, we must consistently enhance our capability for independent development of core technologies and critical systems for intelligent connected vehicles under open conditions.

Fourth, we must uphold shared development, accelerate the integration of products and services, and jointly build a new ecosystem for smart mobility.

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Alejandro R. Vukotich, Senior Vice President of Global Autonomous Driving R&D at BMW Group

In the era of human-driven vehicles, machine intervention provided by Level 2 automated driving systems can enhance driving safety and reduce the incidence of serious traffic accidents. For example, BMW’s current ADAS system is capable of mitigating severe risks—take the ACC system, for instance. If the ACC system is activated, the severity of frontal collisions could be reduced by as much as 70%.

The real gap in autonomous driving lies between Level 2 and Level 3. Legislative bodies need to help bridge this gap by shifting responsibility from the driver to the vehicle. If a legal framework is established, BMW will offer higher levels of autonomous driving—meaning vehicles will gradually take over from human drivers. The system will automatically activate numerous advanced assistance features to help humans address various challenges that arise during driving.

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Xu Zhijun, Rotating Chairman of Huawei

Huawei’s strategic choice is to not manufacture vehicles itself but instead focus on ICT technologies. In the context of the intelligent and connected vehicle industry, Huawei aims to become a true supplier of incremental components for smart connected vehicles, centering on intelligent cockpits, intelligent driving, intelligent connectivity, intelligent electrification, and related cloud services—helping enterprises “build great cars” and “build cars that truly matter.”

The specific approach is to build three platforms:

1. MDC Intelligent Driving Platform;

2. Smart cockpit platform;

3. An intelligent electric platform, along with robust connectivity—using 4G, 5G, and V2X technologies to connect vehicles to roads and vehicles to each other. At the same time, leveraging cloud services to effectively manage all vehicles, thereby building an ecosystem where all vehicles are interconnected.

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Christopher A. Pissarides, Nobel Laureate in Economics and Fellow of the British Academy

The Impact of Intelligent Connected Vehicles on Society, the Labor Market, and the Economy:

1. The demand in the labor market will significantly decrease, leading to a substantial reduction in jobs such as drivers, gas station attendants, and police officers.

2. New infrastructure and changes in urban space—such as the increase in charging stations and the reduction in parking lot areas—are driving transformations in urban spaces.

3. Financial innovations are needed, such as insurance;

4. On a macro level, this will lead to lower transportation costs and higher traffic efficiency, resulting in changes to work and lifestyle patterns. Working from home and online shopping will become increasingly popular.

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Li Zai, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau

Through the allocation of signals, the ITU supports the development of ITS intelligent transportation systems and, by establishing standards, safeguards vehicle safety and ensures the security and reliability of OTA update processes. In addition, the ITU conducts standard testing and develops new standards—for instance, it has developed standards for connecting smartphones to vehicles to provide services.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) can bring positive applications to cities and communities, playing a crucial role in achieving the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The International Telecommunication Union places great importance on further promoting ITS and has already undertaken extensive efforts in this regard.

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Joachim Damasky, Managing Director of the German Association of the Automotive Industry

The future will belong to ICVs, and it is imperative to establish a unified standard. Moreover, in the future, ICVs will absolutely depend on the development of 5G. As for this type of wireless radio-frequency communication, we must also standardize the 5G specifications and harmonize the regulations governing communication frequencies. Right now, the biggest challenge we face is that the ICV industry worldwide is plagued by disparate and fragmented regulatory standards.

Autonomous driving won't happen overnight; it's a long-term, industry-wide endeavor that requires legislation and standardized testing—both of which must be driver-friendly. Reliability, or rather, safety, is an absolutely critical issue. We must ensure that everything is carried out safely. Ultimately, we hope to work together to build a future of mutual cooperation and win-win outcomes.

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Kaushik Rajashekara, Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers, and Professor at the University of Houston

Why are intelligent connected vehicles paired with electric drives rather than with traditional internal-combustion engine vehicles? The reason is that, for traditional internal-combustion engine vehicles, adding intelligent connected devices would increase fuel consumption, whereas for electric vehicles, it would reduce battery range—both of which are issues related to power consumption.

New research shows that the environmental impact—or lifecycle emissions—of autonomous driving technology differs between internal-combustion-engine vehicles and electric vehicles. Because internal-combustion-engine vehicles rely on electricity generated from fossil fuels, their greenhouse gas emission burden is higher. Moreover, the subsystem load of connected vehicles is roughly twice as high as that of pure electric vehicles. Additionally, the increased weight and power requirements of computing platforms can have a significant impact.

Under conditions of 10 kilograms and 200 watts, the onboard computer accounts for half of the total load of the intelligent connected autonomous driving subsystem. Due to increased power consumption, weight, drag, and data transmission, the CAV—a subsystem of connected autonomous vehicles—can lead to a 3% to 20% increase in both the vehicle’s primary energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

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Li Deyi, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

Autonomous driving is a disruptive technology that’s set to “change the rules of the game” and reshape the future landscape. Cars have been part of the human system for less than 200 years, yet they’ve already been saddled with a historical stigma: being labeled humanity’s “number one killer.” That stigma will soon be erased—and autonomous driving will fundamentally transform people’s modes of production and lifestyle, determining the survival or demise of certain enterprises and organizations, especially for young innovators and entrepreneurs. Ultimately, it will influence the rise and fall of global powers.

Mass-produced wire-controlled chassis are the foundation of autonomous driving and the cornerstone of digital vehicles. We recommend that all automakers open up their chassis—especially those with independent intellectual property—to us under open-source protocols, covering systems such as powertrain, steering, braking, gear shifting, and lighting. If the same driving brain can control different vehicle platforms—say, first controlling two Changan vehicles and then two Geely vehicles—it will demonstrate the universality of the driving brain.

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James M. Tien, Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering

This world is one composed of goods and services. Goods form the central hub of this circular structure—autonomous vehicles are at the heart of it. Surrounding the goods are services, and further outward still lie service-based goods. Another key element is the sensor. Sensors indeed provide enhanced services. These sensors aren't just used for communication; they can also be employed to collect data and perceive information. This entire process can be referred to as a “service-based good.”

A technology or service is divided into practical form and service form, and further categorized into four stages: The first stage involves identifying the need and then developing a service; the second stage involves solidifying the service into a product; the third stage involves productizing the service; and the fourth stage involves integrating services and products through the Internet of Everything.

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Li Keqiang, Director of the Expert Committee of the China Intelligent and Connected Vehicle Industry Innovation Alliance and Professor at Tsinghua University

Developing intelligent connected vehicles represents a major opportunity for China’s automotive industry. At the technological level, it serves as a strategic cornerstone for cutting-edge high technologies; at the industrial level, it fosters cross-sectoral integration between the traditional automotive industry and the new-generation ICT sector; at the application level, it transforms vehicles from mere means of transportation into intelligent mobile spaces; and at the strategic level, it impacts the competitive landscape among nations.

The development process also faces a series of challenges: including gaps in the legal and regulatory framework for autonomous driving; in the industrial chain, there is still much to be explored regarding underlying operational components related to automobiles and high-end ICT technology-based core components; intelligent connected vehicles require extensive infrastructure development; business models and the industrial ecosystem still need to be further explored and refined; and public awareness and understanding of autonomous driving remain areas that need improvement.