China's ICV sector sees new stage of large-scale application: official

China's intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs) are accelerating the transition from demonstration and verification into a new stage of large-scale application, an official said on Wednesday.

The country's ICV industry has achieved tangible results and entered a critical stage when technological breakthroughs and commercialization are advancing in parallel, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Xin Guobin said at the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference in Beijing.

The industry has now formed a complete industrial ecosystem spanning from key core technologies to mass production of complete vehicles and scenario-based demonstrations, Xin said at the conference, which is being held from Oct. 21 to 23 in Yizhuang, Beijing.

Demonstration applications for autonomous driving are being systematically rolled out across a variety of scenarios, including driverless taxis, smart logistics, mining operations, and airports, Xin noted.

"[At present,] 57,000 kilometers of roads across the country are open for testing and demonstration, more than 60,000 sets of intelligent equipment have been deployed, and cumulative road test mileage has exceeded 220 million kilometers. The installation rate of L2-level combined driving assistance functions in new passenger cars exceeds 70 percent, and the first batch of L3-level conditionally automated driving models has been piloted on roads in designated areas," he said. As ICVs are increasingly used in real-world scenarios, expectations for product safety and reliability are rising.

Xin said the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will strive to promote the sustainable development of the ICV sector by focusing on key areas such as energy and power, intelligent chassis and intelligent connectivity, while supporting leading enterprises in forming innovation consortia.

Efforts will also be made to upgrade ICV infrastructure, and carry out pilots on the integration of vehicles, roads and cloud, he said, adding that the pilot program of ICV market access and road operation will be advanced in a prudent manner.

The first batch of winter migratory birds have arrived at the Hengling Lake Nature Reserve in Xiangyin County of central China's Hunan Province, about half a month earlier than in previous years.

Common cranes, Eurasian spoonbills and water birds including falcated ducks, ruddy shelducks and cormorants are seen strolling about and pecking for food at the lake.

Sitting at the confluence of East Dongting Lake and South Dongting Lake, the lake serves as a vital stopover and wintering ground along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.

Staff members said the reserve will receive the peak number of migratory birds in mid-November every year.

Workers are conducting regular patrols and strengthening the reserve management to create a favorable environment for the migratory birds.