Reference Message Network reported on May 22 that if the car manufacturers are credible, many people really like karaoke. These people love it so much that they want to install karaoke in their own cars. Arno Antleitz, CFO of Volkswagen, said that this was something Europeans could not understand a few years ago. However, this is just one of the lessons that Volkswagen and its European peers need to learn as they strive to catch up with the Chinese competitors who are expected to dominate the global electric vehicle market. A decade ago, such humility from the world's second-largest automaker would have been surprising. The global automotive industry was dominated by long-established automotive countries, led by Europe (Germany, France, and the UK) and Asia (Japan and South Korea). However, the advent of batteries provided a clear direction for Chinese manufacturers to try to dominate the emerging electric vehicle industry. They seized this opportunity. Matthias Schmidt's data shows that in the first few months of 2024, the share of Chinese brands in European electric vehicle sales exceeded 10%, although this proportion fell back to 7.7% in February this year. But the scale of China's domestic market is unmatched. In 2024, China sold 12.8 million electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, surpassing the entire European automobile market. China's rapid development has taken competitors by surprise. Frank-Stephan Walliser, CEO of Bentley, said at a Financial Times conference that the technology showcased at the Shanghai Auto Show in 2023 "was somewhat like a shock after a pause and resurgence." Chinese automakers are accelerating toward a future where cars are fully integrated with users' other digital lives and can autonomously complete most driving tasks. Among Western automakers, Tesla remains a leader in this regard, but it has ceded its technical lead to BYD. Chris McInally, an analyst at investment bank Evercore ISI Group, wrote in a report to clients that "investors do not yet fully understand how far ahead China may be" in terms of the future of automobiles. He cited the experience of sitting in the massage seats of the luxury SUV "Wey M8", watching movies on a retractable projection screen, while Huawei computer chips handle the driving. All of this costs half the price of Western luxury car competitors. McInally said: "Have Western manufacturers lost this race? We can only say that they appear significantly behind during halftime." If you can't beat them, join them, seems to be the popular strategy in Europe. Volkswagen has invested in Xpeng Motors, Stellantis Group is selling Zero Motorcycles in Europe and is expected to use its technology, and it is rumored that Volvo will increasingly rely on the technology of its owner, Geely Automobile. Frank-Stephan Walliser of Bentley said, "The Chinese are more daring, faster, work harder," and are willing to embrace new technologies. (Translated by Wang Haifeng) This article was originally published on the website of The Guardian on May 20, with the original title "Win and Sing: How Karaoke in Cars Foretells the Victory of Chinese Enterprises," written by Jasper Jolly. Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7507189816480498216/ Disclaimer: This article solely represents the views of the author. Welcome to express your attitude by voting under the [upvote/downvote] buttons below.