BEIJING (ANN/CHINA DAILY) – The fast-evolving artificial intelligence technology is expected to lead an industrial revolution and accelerate the development of China’s autonomous and intelligent connected vehicles, as AI is becoming a vital strategic opportunity for the automotive industry, said national lawmakers, political advisers and experts.
As China speeds up initiatives for mass production and commercialisation of self-driving cars, additional efforts are needed to enhance regulations and standards for autonomous driving, expedite the development of intelligent transportation infrastructure, and broaden the testing and use of autonomous vehicles across diverse scenarios, they stated.
Their comments follow this year’s Government Work Report which stated that under the AI Plus initiative, China will support the extensive application of large-scale AI models and vigorously develop new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment, including intelligent connected new energy vehicles.
He Xiaopeng, chairman and CEO of Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng Motors, said a transformative AI era is approaching, and AI will accelerate the arrival of self-driving vehicles and even driverless vehicles. He emphasized that his company has continued to invest in AI and launched its self-developed AI-powered chips to enhance the intelligent driving capabilities of vehicles.
The Xpeng CEO said he believes that 2025 will mark a significant turning point in intelligent driving. With the continuous advancements and breakthroughs in core technologies such as algorithms, sensors and computing platforms, it is appropriate to bolster the mass production of Level 3 autonomous driving technology, he added.
Autonomous driving is categorized from Level 0 to Level 5. The higher the level, the more intelligent the technology and the lesser the involvement of humans.
Level 3 refers to conditional automation, which allows vehicles to perform autonomous driving tasks under certain conditions. Such vehicles have “environmental detection” capabilities and can make some informed decisions, but are still subject to a human override.
“Xpeng is planning to roll out its Level 3 capabilities in the second half of the year,” He said, adding that by 2026, the company aims to explore Level 4 (high automation) capabilities, including fully driverless parking.
Level 4 vehicles can intervene if there is a system failure and do not require human assistance in most circumstances. However, a manual override option is still available.
Feng Xingya, chairman of automobile manufacturer GAC Group, said, “The advancements in AI technology are becoming the core driving force bolstering the development of intelligent connected vehicles, and the application of AI will help reshape the automotive industry.”
Looking ahead, GAC will promote the iteration of advanced intelligent driving and AI models, while speeding up the application of AI in fields such as automobile research and development, manufacturing and marketing, he added.
While highlighting the importance of bolstering the commercialisation of self-driving technology, Feng said that autonomous driving serves as the core technology of intelligent connected vehicles and an essential component in intelligent transportation.
GAC is among the first carmakers to test Level 3 autonomous vehicles on public roads, and it plans to mass produce these vehicles this year. Feng suggested revising the Road Traffic Safety Law to clarify the liabilities concerning autonomous vehicles and accelerating the research and establishment of a specific law related to intelligent driving.
