The two major directions of planning are clear, and the dream of becoming a powerful automobile country has a ten-year plan

After more than a year, a major policy that draws a blueprint for the future development of the automobile industry, the "Automotive Industry Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), has finally been released. In order to realize the dream of becoming a powerful automobile country, the "Plan" proposes six major goals and proposes specific key tasks and guarantee measures around the six major goals. Starting from this issue, this newspaper will comprehensively interpret the core content and specific issues of the "Plan" for readers.

my country has long been a major automobile country, with automobile production and sales ranking first in the world for many years in a row. Unfortunately, my country's automobile industry is large but not strong. It has always been the dream of the Chinese people and the entire industry to transform my country's automobile industry from large to strong. However, how to realize this dream of becoming a powerful automobile country has always remained in the discussion stage, and there is no clear plan.

It was not until April 25 that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Science and Technology jointly issued the "Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan for the Automobile Industry" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"). At this point, the dream of becoming a strong automobile country finally had a clear action program.

A rare opportunity to realize the dream of becoming a powerful automobile country

Why is the "Plan" released now? The person in charge of the Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in the interpretation of the "Plan" that the automobile industry is an important force in promoting a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, an important support for building a manufacturing power, and an important pillar of the national economy. On the one hand, since the beginning of the new century, my country's automobile industry has developed rapidly, and has ranked first in the world for eight consecutive years since 2009; the development of new energy vehicles has made significant progress, with production and sales exceeding 500,000 vehicles in 2016, and the cumulative promotion volume exceeding 1 million vehicles, accounting for more than 50% of the world; in terms of intelligent networked vehicles, some companies have taken the initiative to layout, and automobile products with assisted driving functions and networked features have entered the market on a large scale. On the other hand, the problem of the automobile industry being large but not strong still exists, such as weak innovation capabilities and the lack of some key core technologies. As the downward pressure on the economy continues to increase and the number of cars in use increases significantly, some deep-seated problems are gradually emerging.

At present, the integration of new generation information communication, new energy, new materials and other technologies with the automobile industry is accelerating, the industrial ecology is undergoing profound changes, and the competitive landscape is being reshaped comprehensively. my country has made remarkable achievements in the field of new energy vehicles, and the strength of the information technology industry supporting the development of intelligent and networked automobiles is constantly increasing. These two directions are expected to become breakthroughs for seizing the initiative and catching up with the development. In the coming period, my country's automobile market will maintain steady growth, and the differentiated and diversified consumer demand will provide huge space for the development of Chinese brand cars. In addition, the implementation of the manufacturing power strategy and the construction of the "Belt and Road" have also provided important support and overseas development opportunities for industrial development.

Overall, the development of the world's automobile industry has undergone profound changes, and my country's automobile industry is facing a rare historical opportunity to transform and upgrade from large to strong. It can be seen that the "Plan" provides guidance for promoting the development of the automobile industry from large to strong. Li Xianjun, director of the Automotive Development Research Center of Tsinghua University, said in an interview with China Auto News: "There have always been too many controversial things in my country's automobile industry, and the industrial planning has been discussed and discussed but has never been finalized. The government must make plans for the development of the industry as soon as possible, and should pay more attention to the effective implementation of the plans."

The key is to make Chinese brands bigger and stronger

What is the core of the Plan? Miao Wei, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, pointed out that the Plan puts forward the development goals, key tasks and policy measures of the automobile industry in the next ten years. The core is to make Chinese brand cars bigger and stronger and cultivate internationally competitive enterprise groups. In terms of route, new energy vehicles and intelligent networked vehicles should be used as breakthroughs to lead the transformation and upgrading of the entire industry; in terms of measures, the industry development environment should be optimized to promote collaborative innovation within and outside the industry.

Strengthening Chinese brand cars is the overall goal of the Plan, which is the key to building a strong automobile country. The six sub-goals are also closely related to it, namely, major breakthroughs in key technologies, safety and control of the entire industrial chain, comprehensive development of Chinese auto brands, basic formation of a new industrial ecology, significant improvement in international development capabilities, and substantial improvement in the level of green development. In order to achieve the goals of the Plan, six key tasks are proposed: first, to improve the innovation system and enhance the driving force of independent development; second, to strengthen basic capabilities and connect the industrial chain system; third, to break through key areas and promote industrial structure upgrading; fourth, to accelerate cross-border integration and build a new industrial ecology; fifth, to enhance quality brands and create international leading enterprises; and sixth, to deepen open cooperation and improve international development capabilities.

To strengthen Chinese brand cars and realize the goal of becoming a powerful automobile country, we cannot do without innovative development, as well as technological routes, industrial integration and international development. Miao Wei gave a key interpretation of this. First, innovation should be used as the main engine for building a powerful automobile country, and the main role of enterprises should be fully played, R&D investment should be increased, and the construction of the innovation system should be improved; second, the development level of energy-saving and new energy vehicles should be improved, and the R&D and promotion of energy-saving vehicles should be increased; third, the integration and development of automobiles and new generation information and communication technologies should be accelerated, and cross-border collaborative research and development in the automobile, information, communication, electronics and Internet industries should be vigorously promoted; fourth, the ability of international development should be improved, the path of open development should be adhered to, international cooperation should be deepened, and enterprises should be encouraged to seize major strategic opportunities such as the "Belt and Road" to "go abroad in groups".

New energy vehicles and intelligent connected vehicles have clear plans

The Plan clearly points out that new energy vehicles and intelligent networked vehicles are expected to become a breakthrough point for seizing the initiative and catching up with development. To this end, the Plan specifically proposes the construction of new energy vehicle research and development and promotion and application projects, and intelligent networked vehicle promotion projects. The two major projects clarify which core technologies new energy vehicles and intelligent networked vehicles should master, which mechanisms should be established, which performance indicators should be achieved, and which data targets should be achieved.

For example, the new energy vehicle research and development and promotion and application project clearly pointed out that we should master key technologies such as drive motors and control systems, electromechanical coupling devices, and extended-range engines, support the technical research of the entire industrial chain of power batteries and fuel cells, achieve revolutionary breakthroughs, greatly improve the integrated control level and forward development capabilities of new energy vehicles, and encourage enterprises to develop advanced and applicable new energy vehicle products. On this basis, by 2020, the annual production and sales of new energy vehicles will reach 2 million, and the corresponding technologies will be greatly improved; by 2025, new energy vehicles will account for more than 20% of automobile production and sales, and the specific energy of power battery systems will reach 350 watt-hours/kilogram.

"New energy vehicles and intelligent connected vehicles will face great opportunities, but the breakthrough lies in the ability to develop the industry. If the ability is not broken through, these opportunities will not be seized." Li Xianjun believes that the breakthrough in ability is first of all a breakthrough in theoretical ability. Through theoretical analysis, we must find out the reasons why my country's automobile industry is large but not strong and how to achieve the path from large to strong. The key is to clarify what the driving force of the industry is, and the key to the driving force is to clarify what the industrial spirit of the automobile is. Aerospace has its own aerospace spirit, high-speed rail has its own high-speed rail spirit, and the automobile industry must also have its own spirit, vision and mission. In addition, when setting goals, the "Plan" must first clarify its own positioning. Only with a clear positioning can the goals be accurate.

"In addition, the focus of goal setting is on grasping the general direction and planning capabilities, rather than specific production and sales volumes. Once the production and sales volume targets cannot be achieved, the government will be very passive. Specific goals should be issues that companies are concerned about, because companies understand the market best. The same is true for technical routes. The market will make the best choice, and policies should not interfere too much." said Li Xianjun.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.