On September 19, during the 2026 China Automotive Industry Development (Teda) International Forum, Gong Jinfeng, General Manager of the China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co., Ltd. (CATARC), emphasized that the automotive industry, a critical arena for technological rivalry and industrial competition among global powers, is experiencing significant shifts in the global competitive dynamics. Technical barriers, rule-based competition, and standardization disputes have emerged as the predominant forms of industrial competition among these major players.

In response to the current industry landscape, Gong Jinfeng put forward two strategic recommendations:

Firstly, it is imperative to concentrate on the core technologies of intelligent connected new energy vehicles (ICNEVs), solidify the industry's leading edge, capitalize on the opportunities presented by the 'dual carbon' strategy (referring to China's goals of achieving peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality) and the burgeoning digital economy, and enhance collaborative innovation among industry, academia, and research institutions.

Secondly, there is a need to deepen cross-sector integration, harness the synergistic potential of government and enterprises, propel pilot programs for the market entry and operation of intelligent connected vehicles, support the large-scale and commercial deployment of Level 3 and above autonomous vehicles, and foster profound integration between the automotive industry and cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence.