Gasgoo Munich- As the software-defined vehicle trend accelerates, deep industry integration and collaboration are opening new avenues to meet diverse market demands and rapid shifts.
On March 18, the 7th Software-Defined Vehicle Forum & AUTOSAR China Day 2026 kicked off in Jiading District. Held as a key sideline event to the Shanghai Global Investment Promotion Conference, the two-day gathering drew more than 600 attendees—both online and offline—from automakers, core parts suppliers, chipmakers, and software firms. Organized by Gasgoo, the AUTOSAR organization, the Jiading Investment Promotion Service Center, and the Shanghai Intelligent Automotive Software Park, the forum focused on critical issues like software architecture upgrades, standard system iterations, and industry collaboration mechanisms. Gao Xiang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Jiading District Committee and District Mayor, attended and delivered remarks.
Han Dadong, Second-Level Inspector of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, and Lu Zufang, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Jiading District Committee and Executive Deputy District Mayor, attended the event. Together, they launched the 2026 "Common Source, Shared Chain" enterprise matchmaking series.
In her address, Gao Xiang highlighted that software-defined vehicles are rapidly reshaping the automotive landscape, serving as the core engine for intelligent connected new energy vehicles. Jiading is accelerating the construction of a full industrial ecosystem, pushing breakthroughs in end-to-end models, domestic chips, and software technologies to build a world-class innovation hub. She expressed hope that the forum would allow technical experts and entrepreneurs to leverage their strengths, deepening resource sharing, scenario development, and experience exchanges with Jiading to bring cutting-edge theories and innovative technologies to the region. As the local government, Jiading pledged to act as a "gold-medal service provider" and "best partner," offering the utmost sincerity and concrete measures to support businesses investing and settling in the district.
Currently, the automotive, embodied intelligence, and low-altitude economy sectors are accelerating their convergence, becoming a crucial track for cultivating "new quality productive forces." To drive mutual technological promotion, supply chain synergy, and ecosystem co-construction across these three fields, the 2026 "Common Source, Shared Chain" initiative was officially launched at the forum. This marks a significant step for Jiading in fostering cross-industry technological synergy and shared ecosystem development.
Tina Zhou, CEO of Gasgoo, noted that the automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation, with software and AI technologies rapidly reshaping development paths and extending capabilities into new frontiers like embodied intelligence and the low-altitude economy. "Jiading offers an excellent industrial ecosystem," Zhou said. "Whether it's building the Automotive Software Park or the Auto Chip Valley, the focus is firmly on the mainstream track of intelligence, backed by substantial policy support and talent introduction. We look forward to collaborating with the government to cultivate this fertile ground together."
As the birthplace of New China's first sedan, Jiading boasts a complete automotive supply chain and deep manufacturing roots. By 2025, the district is home to over 4,500 automotive-related enterprises.
Zhang Shiyang, Director of the Automotive Product Division at "Xiangyu Intelligent," explained that the company's decision to "go all in" on Shanghai's Jiading District stems from its unique industrial advantages. "We are positioning our new business sectors related to AI and smart cockpits right here in Jiading," Zhang said. "It offers manufacturing resources and convenient location, but more importantly, a complete industrial ecosystem and a concentration of talent."
Regarding sector-specific layouts, the Shanghai Intelligent Automotive Software Park is focusing on key links such as basic software, automotive operating systems, and toolchains, while actively venturing into future tracks like embodied intelligence and AI large models. Meanwhile, the Auto Chip Valley is drilling down into core technologies like automotive-grade chips and smart sensors to seize first-mover advantages in developing new quality productive forces. Jiading is using scenarios as a bond and platforms as support to accelerate the efficient coupling of technology, capital, and talent.
"Jiading aims to build a 'rainforest-style' industrial ecosystem, using policy sincerity, platform support, and the power of capital to safeguard the accelerated growth of enterprises," said Zhang Fengzhu, Deputy Director of the Jiading Investment Promotion Service Center. She noted that Jiading offers generous policy support, having rolled out over 60 specialized support policies tailored to empower enterprises at every stage of development. Local companies can also stack benefits from high-level policies in the North Hongqiao Open Innovation Pilot Zone, where 3.5 billion yuan in dedicated Hongqiao development funds is available over five years. Additionally, policies through the Jiading Zhangjiang Park are being leveraged to further build advantageous industrial clusters and elevate comprehensive service capabilities.
As a key sideline event to the Shanghai Global Investment Promotion Conference, this forum served not only as a feast of industry insights but also as a deep dive into investing in Jiading. The event featured a specialized investment tour for the intelligent connected new energy vehicle sector, guiding guests through world-class automotive hubs that integrate R&D, software enablement, scenario application, and hydrogen energy. Participants visited core platforms like the Auto-Innovation Port, Shanghai Intelligent Automotive Software Park, EV-AI Port, and Jiading Hydrogen Port. They got a firsthand look at Jiading's innovative pulse—from complete vehicle manufacturing to the full-chain coordination of "chips, software, algorithms, data, and hydrogen"—experiencing the industrial depth, ecological breadth, and development speed of the Shanghai International Automotive City in frontier fields like intelligent connectivity, new energy, and hydrogen power.
