In October 2025, Chief Technology Officers from leading domestic and international automotive enterprises gathered in Chongqing, China, to address the industry’s shift toward innovation-driven development amid global changes. The meeting resulted in a consensus highlighting key areas for collaboration and advancement in the evolving automotive landscape.
Key Consensus Points
The consensus outlined that the automotive industry is undergoing comprehensive transformation, driven by the integration of electrification, intelligentization, and low-carbon initiatives. This shift is moving the ecosystem away from traditional models toward cross-industry collaboration and convergence. Additionally, the technology system is experiencing systemic changes, with parallel progress in fundamental research and applied technologies leading to frequent disruptive innovations.
As China’s automotive industry pushes for greater global integration, the focus is on leveraging technology to build a brand identity centered on innovation and premium quality. This approach is deemed essential for achieving world-class competitiveness in international markets.
Action Priorities for Industry Stakeholders
Participants committed to enhancing technological innovation capabilities by collaborating on trend forecasting and technology roadmaps. Efforts will target next-generation power batteries, intelligent chassis systems, and automotive-grade artificial intelligence to foster an ecosystem that supports the commercialization of cutting-edge technologies. This includes interdisciplinary development and talent cultivation to sustain industry momentum.
Promoting demand-driven technology supply was emphasized, with innovation guided by market needs and user feedback throughout research and development cycles. The goal is to ensure that technical features address user pain points effectively, avoiding parameter inflation and homogenized competition in the sector.
Establishing safety baselines for technology R&D and application involves joint research on standards for electric vehicle safety, intelligent driving, and connected vehicle testing. Companies will develop quality management systems to validate the safety and reliability of new technologies before market deployment, aligning with China’s regulatory frameworks.
Fostering a responsible technology communication environment requires objective and accountable dialogue, free from exaggerated claims. Collaborative standardization will set norms for technical disclosure, supported by public education initiatives to improve transparency and understanding of technological capabilities.
Deepening automotive technology exchanges and collaboration will utilize industry associations to enhance partnerships in academic dialogue, innovation, standards development, and platform building. This aims to create a win-win cooperation model for China’s innovation-driven automotive development.
