Today's cars can chat with you, drive themselves, and in some cases, even fly for a short distance. This is the latest technology showcased at the Shanghai Auto Show, while the passive situation of traditional automotive giants – Germany – in this technological transformation was also exposed during the exhibition.

A report from Shanghai by Welt newspaper stated that in China, the latest car technologies are becoming part of everyday life, with autonomous vehicles already appearing on the streets of many cities. Voice commands supported by the artificial intelligence system DeepSeek have long been a daily application for drivers. The article titled "China Leaves Germany Behind" wrote:

"Walking through the Shanghai Auto Show, it feels as if China has entered a future world, while Germany lags far behind the times. Indeed, Chinese technology is progressing at an astonishing speed. The new functions introduced by numerous emerging car brands are dazzling, though some of them are mere flashy gimmicks without real value. Nevertheless, the fierce competition between the latest technology and the lowest price is evident. Millions of consumers in China are enthusiastic about these novelties.

So how should one respond to China? German politicians are at a loss regarding China's technological progress. In the coalition agreement, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) promised to review the previous government's China strategy based on the 'de-risking' principle. However, specific measures remain unknown. In fact, the previous 'traffic light' coalition government found itself trapped in contradictory policies regarding China. This is precisely the biggest problem faced by Germany's industrial sector. German companies are caught between China's calm and strategic planned economy and Germany's disorganized government decision-making. After all, for many German companies, the Chinese market accounts for approximately one-third of their revenue.

Germany and Europe seem to be stuck in a rigid state. In Europe, any new product development, including automobiles, requires complicated approval procedures that often take years. Many consumers prefer familiar old technologies over new systems. The ever-changing regulatory measures, tax burdens, and complex administrative processes imposed by the government further hinder the development of new technologies. This situation in Europe and Germany is not accidental. Although it slows down national actions, it reflects the reality of society: for most Germans, leisure time is more important than work, and skepticism toward new technologies extends beyond the field of electric vehicles. Innovative enterprises hoping to defeat competitors through innovation need a social environment that pursues technological progress and a country that provides policy facilitation.

The World Journal quoted Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis Group, writing: "If industry disappears, the only job Europeans will be able to do in the future is serving coffee to tourists."

"This must not happen. German automakers are comprehensively restructuring their businesses in China and have every opportunity to catch up. They also need the chance to revitalize their presence in Europe, provided that policies are favorable and the public becomes more motivated. The European Economic Area not only offers good conditions but is also a close partner of the United States. Considering this, we can achieve this as long as we have determination."

Unimaginable partnerships

The report from Handelsblatt from the Shanghai Auto Show also admitted that China has taken a significant lead in vehicle intelligence. Beyond serving as transportation tools, for many young Chinese people, ordering coffee or booking hotels through the vehicle's intelligent system has become routine.

"In fact, many foreign companies are beginning to use services provided by Chinese suppliers. German companies are actively entering the rapidly growing integrated automotive systems market. Recently, Bosch, a major German parts supplier, announced it had received its first order for an AI driving platform. Its competitor, ZF, also launched the Cubix software platform and Chassis 2.0 system to meet the demand for integrated driving assistance systems in smart cars.

Chinese automakers are also planning to integrate Deepseek into their driving systems. Beijing-based startup Horizon Robotics, as a provider of hardware and software for intelligent driving assistance and autonomous driving, has particularly benefited from the explosive growth of China's intelligent electric vehicles. Meanwhile, Tencent, the parent company of WeChat, also hopes to win the favor of large automakers through its own research on the large language model 'Hunyuan'.

This has given rise to cooperation models almost unimaginable in Europe. For example, German automaker Audi is using Huawei's driving assistance system, while Huawei, due to long-term sanctions from the U.S., has long been excluded from the American market. BMW has also chosen to cooperate with Huawei in Shenzhen in the Chinese market."

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7498465572934402610/

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