NextGen Auto International Summit China has accomplished another successful year with the close of its 2013 edition. Held from 9 – 10 December at the Kerry Hotel in Shanghai’s Pudong district, the event brought together some of the world’s foremost experts on the auto industry, to share and acquire information on the future of the China market.
The event’s co-organisers, Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd, International Cooperation Centre of National Development and Reform Commission and China National Automotive Industry International Corporation, hosted over 45 professionals representing government bodies, industry associations as well as prominent commercial enterprises. During its two-day run, a total of 378 delegates (a 5 percent increase from 2012) attended the summit, from specialties spanning across the automotive supply chain.
Mr Richard Li, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd commented: “2012 may have been the year we launched NextGen Auto, but I believe the 2013 edition confirmed our vision for this event. With the assistance of our co-organisers, we gathered some phenomenal authority figures in the domestic and overseas auto market this year, who held discussions on topics currently most in-demand among professionals. NextGen Auto has proven itself to be an important component to Chinese auto professionals acquiring the latest industry technology, while also communicating their solution needs to the international community. I am humbled by the success of the 2013 summit, and look forward to organising another engaging edition in the future.”
Speakers and delegates alike praise the future of China’s Auto industry
The key to NextGen Auto’s significance is the event’s ability to highlight emerging technologies in automobile development, address policy initiatives from government bodies and present case studies from leading commercial firms. For the 2013 edition, both speakers and delegates were unanimous in their praise for the show in achieving all of the aforementioned goals.
The summit focused primarily on issues related to new generation vehicles, energy efficiency and e-mobility; areas that industry professionals have agreed will be the main driving forces for the future development of China’s auto industry. In addition to speakers from such reputable firms as Fiat Chrysler Group, Qualcomm Europe and Bosch Software Innovations, the summit welcomed senior leaders from China’s National Energy Bureau, Ministry of Commerce and the China Automotive Technology and Research Center.
Mr Steven Lu, CEO of Team China Racing Co Ltd, spoke at the summit about China’s first Formula-E racing vehicle and its associated technology. He shared: “The adoption of electrical vehicles has grown incredibly in the China market. Formula-E technology is very closely related to the development of automotive parts and the overall auto industry. Our goal with NextGen Auto was to help professionals better understand the technology within our vehicle, and promote the quality of “Made in China” technology. This was an exceptional event for our firm.”
Mr Bill Russo, Vice President or Corporate Development at Harman International, held a series of sessions related to technological innovation and its importance to market development. He shared: “I believe the central theme for NextGen Auto in 2013 was how technology provides a roadmap and shapes the future of the automotive industry. In addition to providing great insight from industry experts, the summit was an excellent networking opportunity for those involved in future technology development. Individuals from the supply and regulatory side, as well as both state- and privately-owned enterprises were all in attendance this year. It is amazing to see how the fair has become an important bridge in bringing together foreign technology suppliers and domestic industry players. I believe the future is certainly bright both for NextGen Auto and China’s automotive industry.”
Returning speaker, Mr Christian Heep, CEO and Head of Marketing at the German Federal Association for E-Mobility (BEM), enthused about the summit showcasing China’s ambitions in e-mobility and new energy vehicle adoption. He said: “My goal was to share my company’s point of view on e-mobility in Germany and greater Europe, so that the audience could see how to adopt the technology in China. I think there are a lot of business opportunities my firm and others from Europe can explore with the China market. The event was very well-organised, and covered a wide range of important topics. Delegates to the event were very professional and interested in the development of e-mobility and sustainability.”
Fellow speaker, Mr ChengYin Yuan, Deputy President of BJEV Research and Development Institute, Beijing Electric Vehicle Co Ltd added: “The event’s topics were very forward-thinking. For example, the sessions on the technologies of “Formula-E racing” and “Wireless charging” gave us some creative ideas and offered a different angle on their uses. NextGen Auto stands out from similar automotive forums because the topics discussed were informative not only for delegates but also fellow speakers like me. I believe China’s electric vehicle industry will experience great growth in 2014.”
For delegate Mr David Hsu, Senior Manager in Business Analysis at BMW China, NextGen provided a positive outlook on the future of China’s car industry. He commented: “It was my first time attending the summit. The topics discussed were very clear and targeted. In general, I am very optimistic about the future development of new energy vehicles. Consumers will gradually adopt the technology, but at this point I believe the acceptance of new energy vehicles is still quite conservative in China. Through the government’s support and acceptance of new energy vehicles, I believe China will quickly catch up to the same level of overseas markets.”
Mr Alexej Garcia Rodriguez, Consultant for Global Practice Group Automotive in Germany, enjoyed the 2013 summit not only for its invaluable industry insight, but for also providing direct access to prominent industry players. He shared: “I was interested in the topic on electric mobility, and I found the seminars on passenger vehicles and electric vehicles very useful. The last session which discussed the emergence of the technology in tier 3 and 4 cities in China was particularly informative. NextGen Auto was a good summit overall. The topics were well presented, and the event also offered a good networking opportunity with its associated speakers.”
With foreign vehicles and parts currently accounting for only a minor portion of China’s auto market, delegates like Mr Tony Zhou, Deputy Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau at Jiangsu Province’s Zhangjiagang Economic and Technological Development Zone, came to the 2013 summit to discover opportunities for building their domestic business with innovative overseas suppliers. Mr Zhou expressed: “Attending NextGen Auto 2013 was an exceptional experience for me. China’s auto industry is currently at the mature stage of development, and its future is looking better every day. My goal at the summit was to get in touch with overseas auto part suppliers, and introduce them to the China market. According to a speech by representatives from McKinsey, overseas car manufacturers currently hold 22 percent of market share in China, while foreign part suppliers account for 6 percent. This translates to a lot of room for growth, and my company is looking forward to taking advantage.”
NextGen Auto International Summit China 2013 was held in conjunction with Automechanika Shanghai, Asia’s largest event for auto parts, accessories, equipment and services. For more information on the fee-based conference, please e-mail nextgenauto@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com; or visit www.nextgenautosummit-china.com
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SOURCE Messe Frankfurt