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On October 17, industry leaders from China’s top automotive and technology firms gathered in Beijing to share their perspectives on the latest developments and challenges in the realm of smart connected vehicles. Among those speaking were Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Holding Group, and Lei Jun, Chairman of Xiaomi.
Li emphasized that the core of smart vehicle technology must prioritize user values and safety, aiming to address practical real-world issues. He noted that while developing proprietary technology is crucial, industry collaboration across companies and sectors is just as essential. Li advocates for establishing standards to promote cross-industry integration, viewing the rise of connected vehicles as a key driver of industry modernization and transformation.
Lei discussed how advancements in large language models (LLMs) are opening new possibilities for the automotive industry. Xiaomi is actively working on applying edge-based LLMs to improve voice interaction, making human-machine communication more natural by integrating emotional recognition, multimodal interaction, and spatial awareness capabilities.
The company’s first vehicle has been available for about a year and a half, with approximately 400,000 units delivered to date. Xiaomi connects nearly a billion smart devices and collaborates with over 10,000 partners and developers worldwide.
Addressing potential concerns associated with smart electric vehicle technologies, Zhang Xinghai, Chairman of Seres Group, highlighted issues such as assisted driving safety, battery safety, and data security. He stressed that automakers must find a balance between innovation and safety.
Seres’ AITO brand, developed in partnership with Huawei Technologies, has accumulated almost 3.8 billion kilometers of assisted driving. The brand has successfully prevented over two million potential collisions, provided more than 200,000 proactive safety services, and saved users over 370,000 hours of repair time, Zhang reported.
In a panel discussion, Li Bin, founder of Nio, emphasized that reducing accidents should be the foremost goal during the current phase of autonomous driving development. Looking ahead, Cao Xudong, CEO of Momenta, predicts that within four to six years, autonomous driving technology will meet or even surpass human driver performance. He expects robotaxis and advanced assisted driving features to become commonplace.
By 2030, vehicles equipped with Level 2 or higher autonomous driving systems will constitute more than 70% of the market, while Level 3 will make up the remaining share, according to Thomas Ulbrich, CTO of Volkswagen Group China. Consumer preferences will be heavily influenced by the availability of these features, making clear regulations crucial for both technological progress and widespread adoption.
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