A September 16 China Youth Daily report examined how China's new energy vehicles (NEVs) are evolving from mere transport into intelligent, connected terminals. In the first half of 2026, the installation rate of L2 combined driving-assistance functions on new passenger cars exceeded 70%, while L3 and L4 autonomous-driving R&D and testing accelerated.
Shao Ji, deputy director of the NDRC's Industry Development Department, said NEVs, as key carriers of advanced technology, have spurred progress in materials, machinery and electronics, with mature technologies such as power batteries now applied to low-altitude equipment and embodied intelligence. Guo Shougang of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said the authorities will further deepen the fusion of intelligent connected NEVs with information and communications—scaling up 5G/5G-A and C-V2X direct-connect networks, promoting satellite-direct and Beidou navigation into vehicles, and coordinating heterogeneous compute scheduling.
The plan also deepens NEV integration with transport, urban development and energy: digitizing traffic signals and road markings, deploying roadside sensing at scale, advancing "vehicle-road-cloud" pilots, and accelerating vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications so cars become mobile energy-storage units. In the first half of 2026, NEV exports accounted for more than 40% of China's total vehicle exports, supporting the global green transition.
Source: China Youth Daily
