With the release of the "15th Five-Year Plan for Intelligent Connected NEVs," the roadmap to become a world automotive power by 2030 is clear, and the industry's center of gravity is shifting from technical validation to scale commercialization, the Economic Information Daily reported on October 22.
Concrete progress is visible on the road. On January 1, 30 BAIC Arcfox Alpha S (L3 version) vehicles began scaled road trials on designated sections such as the Beijing Daxing Airport expressway; by October 16 the pilot fleet had logged over 150,000 km in real traffic, repeatedly validating perception, decision-making and vehicle-road coordination. The model is one of the first two L3 types granted MIIT production access in December 2025.
Core technology is also landing. BYD's self-developed 4nm "Xuanji A3" intelligent-driving chip has entered volume production supporting L3/L4, paired with its second-generation blade battery and flash-charging technology that adds 400 km of range in five minutes. NIO's "SkyRide" intelligent chassis uses integrated hydraulic full-active suspension, and leading firms are pushing the industry from scale advantage toward core-technology advantage.
Current data show China's L2 combined-assisted-driving penetration exceeds 70%, NOA penetration exceeds 30%, and the first L3 models are on designated roads — with business-model viability, per-vehicle cost and data compliance now the new fault lines of competition.
Source: Economic Information Daily / Securities Times
