Gasgoo Munich- Looking back at the turbulent decade of change in China's auto industry, 2016 stands out as a pivot point—easily overlooked yet critical. China was already the world’s largest market by production and sales volume, but beneath the surface, deep structural issues plagued the sector: the painful shift between old and new growth drivers, a disconnect between supply and demand, and lagging technology iteration. Spotting this bottleneck, Gasgoo Auto launched the "Walk into OEMs" initiative a decade ago—a move to bypass traditional trade shows and forge a path that precisely bridged supply and demand while anticipating industry shifts.
The Dilemma of the Era
In 2016, the Chinese auto industry sat at the intersection of peak internal combustion engine (ICE) dominance and the sprouting of new tracks. Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows that year saw 517,000 new energy vehicles (NEVs) produced and 507,000 sold—far from forming a mass market. Smart connectivity, autonomous driving, and low-carbon mobility were still frontier concepts lacking mature mass-production scenarios; ICE vehicles still ruled the road.
Yet, this germination period was accompanied by chaos and uncertainty. The NEV sector was "scattered, chaotic, and weak," with uneven technology quality. Investigations into subsidy fraud and tightening policy added further volatility to already fragile innovation efforts. The industry appeared bustling on the outside, but actual innovation struggled to take root, stalling the transition between old and new growth engines.
More critically, traditional matchmaking models had failed completely. The supply chain was trapped in a double bind: opportunities were visible, but resources remained out of reach. For major OEMs, the signal for transformation was clear. Leading automakers began laying out strategies in electrification and smart safety to seize future competitive tracks. However, the most cutting-edge innovation tech was mostly held by small and medium-sized innovative suppliers—resources that were fragmented and hidden, impossible to acquire through traditional channels.
Image source: IM Motors
Meanwhile, industry-standard matchmaking methods like annual trade shows and public forums had become rigid and plagued by homogenous content. They could no longer meet the deep needs of OEMs' core R&D. At public expos, automakers were reduced to "spectators"—surrounded by resources but unable to connect with core R&D teams or land actual projects. This resulted in an awkward deadlock: seeing the tech but failing to match the resources or implement R&D. Forward-looking development lacked precise, efficient technical support.
The dilemma was equally acute for parts suppliers, especially high-quality small and medium tech firms holding innovations in NEVs, smart safety, and low-carbon tech. These innovations had industrial value but lacked direct channels to the core of OEM R&D and decision-making. Traditional trade shows had mixed audiences and crude matchmaking, mostly stopping at brand display and superficial exchange. It was hard to reach real R&D teams or decision-makers. Vast amounts of quality tech were buried, resources idled. Good products couldn't leave the lab or reach mass production, creating a complete disconnect between innovation and application that severely constrained the industry's technological iteration speed.
On one side, OEMs lacked technology and precise resources for their R&D transformation; on the other, suppliers lacked channels and scenarios to land their tech. The shallow communication bridges built by traditional industry models could no longer bear the weight of deep industrial change. The entire auto sector urgently needed a revolution in its matchmaking model.
Breaking the Deadlock
Facing the entrenched mismatch between supply and demand and the fragmentation of information, Gasgoo Auto realized a key truth: the industry didn't need another "traffic festival"—it needed precise, deep, actionable "industrial matchmaking." Based on this judgment, in 2016, Gasgoo established "Walk into OEMs" as a core strategy, actively leading strictly screened supply chain enterprises directly into the internal R&D and purchasing centers of automakers.
In the first year of implementation, the series visited mainstream automakers including Volvo, Changan Ford, Geely, and SAIC. It locked in four core technology tracks ahead of the mass transformation: electrification, intelligent connectivity, body lightweighting, and powertrain energy saving and emission reduction. This preemptively built a precise bridge connecting the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain.
Among these, the dedicated matchmaking session for Volvo became a milestone practice of Gasgoo's innovative strategy.
At the time, most automakers were still clinging to the dividends of ICE vehicles, but Volvo had already identified safety, emissions, connectivity, and autonomous driving as its long-term tracks. 2016 marked the sixth anniversary of Geely's acquisition of Volvo, placing the Swedish brand in a critical phase of technological upgrade and track deepening. Shen Feng, then President of Volvo China R&D, mentioned in his speech at the "Walk into Volvo" event that this was the first time the plant had welcomed parts enterprises on such a large scale for internal technical displays. Volvo was deeply cultivating ADAS and advancing the "Drive Me" project—the world's first L4 autonomous driving road test—and urgently sought to connect with cutting-edge domestic supply chain technologies for battery cells, motors, and BMS.
This event also garnered support from industry veteran Fu Yuwu. Then Chairman of the Society of Automotive Engineers of China (SAE-China), he emphasized that parts are the foundation of the vehicle industry, and face-to-face communication between OEMs and parts suppliers is key to strengthening China's auto industry.
Left to right: Shen Feng, President of Volvo China R&D, Chairman of SAE-China, China Automotive Talent Research Society Fu Yuwu, Gasgoo Auto CEO Zhou Xiaoying
Regarding this event, Gasgoo Auto CEO Zhou Xiaoying stated: "The industry focuses mostly on complete vehicles, but building an automotive powerhouse cannot do without an independent supply chain. We hope to build a pure technical communication platform where various parts enterprises can realize industrial value through their technology."
During this event, over 20 companies, including SAIC Transmission, CATL, Henkel, Sensata, and CRRC Times Electric, showcased their innovations. Unlike the usual broad discussions, the event featured two key segments: specialized technical lectures and on-site booth matchmaking. Volvo engineers directly handled parts samples, engaging in one-on-one discussions with supplier technical staff on compatibility and mass production implementation.
This full-link precise matchmaking—covering industry authorities, OEM core R&D teams, and premium supply chain enterprises—perfectly aligned with Volvo's R&D layout for electrification and intelligence. It also established a standardized, replicable benchmark model for Gasgoo's subsequent "Walk into OEMs" activities.
Highlights from previous years
Anchored in Purpose
Gasgoo Auto is committed to opening up channels between technology and application scenarios, helping cutting-edge innovations find practical landing opportunities, and precisely matching industrial resources for OEMs' R&D transformation needs. By facilitating efficient supply-demand links, the company aims to accelerate industrial technological iteration and drive the auto sector from "scale growth" to "technology-driven" development. This "Walk into OEMs" service system, covering the entire industrial chain, is the practical implementation of Gasgoo's long-term philosophy of industrial service.
Ten years of surging waves and industrial upgrades. Looking back now, that seemingly counter-trend exploration in 2016 became an important foundation for Gasgoo to cultivate industrial services and adhere to long-term value. Since its launch in 2016, the "Walk into OEMs" model has continuously iterated and improved. Over the decade, it has sustained connections between upstream and downstream, accompanying the Chinese auto industry in its upgrade from ICE to new energy and intelligence. It has also deeply integrated Gasgoo's mission—"to discover good companies, promote good technology, and empower industry professionals"—into the development process of the sector.
