context: With NEVs in the implementation phase, industrial policy is shifting focus towards AD. Although the state will seek to avoid the subsidy misallocations and poor infrastructure planning that plagued NEV policy, its approach and policy tools have not fundamentally changed.
Car makers and internet giants pledged to increase collaboration at the annual Connect and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) Summit held 18-21 October 2018 in Beijing, reports China Auto News. The autonomous vehicle industry should be identified as a strategic emerging industry (though it is not yet explicitly listed in the Catalogue), said Dong Yang 董扬 China Association of Automobile Manufacturers executive director at the event, noting its
- high value-added potential
- extensive industry chain, including specialised firms and SMEs
- technological sophistication
- spill-over effects in knowledge, skills and institutional management
Having learned from new energy vehicles (NEV), industrial policymakers will avoid subsidy-induced overcapacity for CAVs, said Miao Wei 苗圩 Ministry of Industry and IT (MIIT) minister. Miao called for
- balancing funding for research and manufacturing capacity
- global cooperation
- firm-led innovation
- standard harmonisation
- research, development and demonstration (RD&D)
Wan Gang 万钢 former MIIT minister highlighted challenges, including
- inconsistent national strategic planning
- technological barriers to autonomous driving (AD)
- integration between information, telecommunications, automotive and transportation industries
- lack of infrastructure (Note: an issue also for NEVs)
Car makers called for tech self-sufficiency, indigenous innovation and standards to be set before rather than after vehicles go into mass production, agreed Xu Heyi 徐和谊 BAIC president, Li Shufu 李书福 Geely president and Wang Chuanfu 王传福 BYD president. Developing CAVs also needs internet connectivity, testing data sharing, and AD software and services, added Pony Ma 马化腾 Tencent CEO, Li Yanhong 李彦宏 Baidu CEO and Wang Jian 王坚 Alibaba CTO.