The World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference (WICV), hosted by the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), kicked off on October 18 in Beijing. Miao Wei, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

Miao highlighted the global consensus on developing the intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) industry. Major car manufacturing nations such as the US, Germany, and Japan are rapidly advancing their strategic plans, while tech giants are making aggressive investments and engaging in mergers and acquisitions. The global ICV development is showing a positive trend marked by accelerated breakthroughs in core technologies, improved foundational support, and a gradually maturing industrial ecosystem.

The Chinese government places great importance on ICV development and has issued a series of guiding documents in areas such as top-level design, innovation-driven strategies, standards and regulations, and testing applications. A cross-sector collaborative innovation platformthat brings together enterprises, universities, research institutes and end-users was established. In addition, the government expedited the development of national standards systems and built testing demonstration areas in cities including Shanghai, Chongqing, and Beijing. These efforts help improve the development environment for ICV, effectively stimulating enterprise momentum and market vitality.

According to Miao, to promote higher-quality and faster growth of the ICV industry, the Chinese government will continue to foster a favorable environment for various market entities, with a focus on innovation capabilities, industrial foundation, and talent development. It is hoped that countries around the world will work together on strategic planning, collaborative innovation, standards harmonization, and demonstration and application, contributing to the common development and prosperity of the global ICV industry.

Themed “Opening a New Era of Vehicles”, the WICV is being held at the China National Convention Center from October 18 to 21, 2018, featuring 14 events, including the main forum, professional forums, international cooperation roundtables, lectures by academicians, the Future Vehicle Developers Conference, exhibitions, and test rides on autonomous vehicles. With support from 16 industry organizations, universities, and research institutions in multiple countries and regions, the conference has attracted 140 renowned scholars and outstanding enterprise representatives from the global ICV sector for discussions. Its exhibition involves seven fields, including automobiles, intelligent transport, Internet, communications, microelectronics, artificial intelligence, and new energy, showcasing the latest products and technologies of over 180 domestic and international enterprises. Notably, enterprises such as Baidu, BAIC, Changan Auto, and FAW are organizing autonomous vehicle test rides and shows, highlighting the advancements in China’s autonomous driving sector.

After the opening ceremony, Minister Miao, along with Wan Gang, Vice Chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and President of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST); Chen Jining, Mayor of Beijing; and Li Jianbo, Member of Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Transport, visited the exhibition.

Relevant officials from national authorities such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Commerce, State Administration for Market Regulation, National Energy Administration, China National Intellectual Property Administration, and National Natural Science Foundation of China also attended the conference. They were accompanied by officials from the General Office, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Equipment Industry, Department of International Cooperation, and Bureau of Radio Regulation of the MIIT.