Global Connect of Overseas Chinese Automotive Engineers 2025 Successfully Concludes

From November 1 to 2, 2025, the 4th "Global Connect of Overseas Chinese Automotive Engineers 2025" was successfully held via online livestream. The event was hosted by the Global Alliance of Overseas Chinese Societies of Automotive Engineers and co-organized by the several associations of Chinese automotive engineers across Europe, North America, and Asia. The conference attracted experts, scholars, and industry representatives from around the world to participate and exchange insights on the future of the automotive industry.

The event focused on the theme "Innovation and Global Collaboration in the Automotive Industry under the Carbon Neutrality Goal." It featured an opening ceremony, keynote speeches, technical sessions, panel discussions, and corporate presentations, covering key areas such as powertrain systems, intelligent driving, battery technology, and data security. The conference provided a professional platform for knowledge sharing, technical exchange, and resource collaboration among overseas Chinese automotive engineers worldwide, fostering synergistic development between the Chinese and global automotive industries.

Opening Ceremony: Global Industry Leaders Gather to Explore New Opportunities in Automotive Transformation

At 7:00 p.m. Beijing time on November 1, 2025 (8:00 p.m. in Japan, 11:00 a.m. in London, 12:00 p.m. in Central Europe, and 6:00 a.m. on the U.S. East Coast), the event officially opened. The ceremony was hosted by Mr. Yiran Liu, Deputy Secretary-General of the UK Chinese Society of Automotive Engineers. In his opening remarks, Mr. Liu reviewed the development of the "Global Connect" series since its inception in 2021. Over the years, it has grown into a vital platform linking overseas Chinese automotive engineers worldwide, breaking geographical barriers and fostering efficient industry interaction and collaboration. The first four editions have attracted more than 700,000 online viewers and received extensive media coverage from outlets including China News Service, Sina Finance, Global Times Online, China Overseas Chinese Network, and China Automotive News.

Peter Burnett, Chief Executive Officer of the China–Britain Business Council (CBBC), and Chris Mason, Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies (FISITA), extended their congratulations to the event via video messages. Both expressed their anticipation that the conference would further strengthen technological exchange between the Chinese and global automotive industries and accelerate the sector's transformation toward intelligence and low carbon development.

Professor Hongming Xu, Chairman of the Global Alliance of Overseas Chinese Societies of Automotive Engineers and Director of Birmingham CASE Automotive Research & Education Centre, emphasized in his address that the global automotive industry is undergoing a critical transition from electrification to intelligent mobility. He called on overseas Chinese engineers to join forces, share their expertise, and contribute to overcoming technological bottlenecks, thereby advancing sustainable development across the industry.

Keynote Session: Gaining Global Market Insights and Analysing the Development Path of Chinese Automakers

Following the opening ceremony, two keynote speeches focused on global automotive market trends and the competitiveness of China's new energy vehicle (NEV) industry.

Ian Plummer, Commercial Director of Autotrader, delivered a presentation titled "UK Automotive Trends and Chinese New Entrants." He provided an in-depth analysis of developments in the UK automotive market, noting that the UK is currently the world's third-largest NEV market and is leading Europe in its transition toward electrification. Plummer highlighted that UK consumers are showing growing acceptance of Chinese automotive brands, with Chinese automakers now accounting for over 13% of the UK's new car market share. He further emphasized that companies such as BYD are rapidly expanding their presence across Europe through technological innovation and localized operations.

Xiaoying Zhou, President of Gasgoo, delivered a keynote report titled "Analysis of the Competitiveness of China's New Energy Vehicle Industry". She noted that China's NEV sector has established a comprehensive policy framework and a mature industrial ecosystem, with capital, talent, and technology working in synergy to drive continuous growth. In the first half of 2025, China's NEV penetration rate in the passenger car market reached 48%, while the adoption of intelligent driving and smart cockpit technologies continued to rise steadily. Zhou highlighted that companies such as BYD (vertical integration of the supply chain), Huawei (the "Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance"), and Xiaomi (the "Human–Car–Home" ecosystem) each represent distinct development paths within the industry. She projected that by 2030, Chinese brands are expected to account for around 30% of the global passenger vehicle market, with their electrification and intelligent mobility capabilities leading the world.

Corporate Sharing and Technical Sessions: Showcasing Innovations and Advancing Core Technologies

During the event, representatives from sponsoring companies such as Shanghai Baolong Automotive Corporation (BAOLONG) and Software Security Technology co., Ltd delivered insightful technical presentations.

Min Zhang, General Manager of BAOLONG's Marketing Center, gave a talk titled "Technology and Product Development at BAOLONG," highlighting the company's latest achievements in intelligent driving perception components and new energy vehicle chassis technologies.

Juhua Wu, Senior Product Manager at Software Security Technology co., Ltd, focused on "SBOM Governance in Automotive Software Supply Chains," providing an in-depth analysis of the importance of software security and supply chain management in the intelligent vehicle industry, along with corresponding solutions and best practices.

Roundtable Discussion: Strengthening China–Europe Industrial Cooperation and Global Synergy to Define Future Directions

The roundtable forum served as one of the highlights of the event.

The first day's discussion, themed "Analysis of the European Passenger Car Market and Comparison of the China–Europe Automotive Industries," featured distinguished guests including Hongde Ge, Country Manager of BYD UK & Ireland; Xiang Zhang, Country Director of Chery UK; and Hui Zhang, Vice President of NIO Europe. The session was moderated by Yiran Liu.

The panel explored topics such as sales models for Chinese automakers entering overseas markets (comparing the strengths and weaknesses of distributor, direct-sale, and agency models), characteristics of the European market (fleet-based purchasing and the prevalence of vehicle leasing), and localization challenges (GDPR compliance, used-car residual value systems, and differences in charging infrastructure).

The speakers emphasized the importance of building strong local partnerships and enhancing data collaboration, noting that transparent services and localized strategies are key to earning consumer trust in the European market.

The roundtable forum on November 2 centered on the theme "Global Automotive Engineering Trends and Collaborative Innovation." The session was moderated by Ji Li, Director of Organization at the UK Chinese Society of Automotive Engineers, and brought together leaders from seven key associations, including those in the UK, Germany, France, Japan, Austria, and North America.

Participants unanimously agreed that "Intelligent and Low-Carbon Development" represents the core global trend of the automotive industry. They emphasized the need to leverage the alliance platform to strengthen collaboration among industry, academia, research institutions, and policy makers, and to pilot joint projects in areas such as decarbonization and energy efficiency. The forum also called for localized compliance and standards-based cooperation to foster an open and sustainable innovation ecosystem.

Daqing Zou, President of the North America Chinese Society of Automotive Engineers, shared his outlook on the future role of the Global Alliance in facilitating exchanges among overseas Chinese automotive engineers and promoting initiatives such as the Global Connect series.

Technical Session 1: Intelligent Driving and Smart Mobility

Zhoucan Ren, Senior Performance Development Specialist at Xiaomi Automotive, delivered a presentation titled "Lap Time Challenges in the Era of Electrification." He discussed recent progress in EV performance testing and track validation, noting that electrification is redefining the limits of vehicle performance, where lap time challenges demonstrate the strength of power control and energy management capabilities. Ren highlighted that the new generation of high-performance electric vehicles, represented by the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, integrates intelligence and performance as core advantages—driving the rise of Chinese automotive brands.

You Li, former Renault R&D Center Engineer, presented "The Current State of L4 Autonomous Driving Deployment." He explained that Level-4 autonomous driving is shifting from experimentation to practical implementation, already being adopted in robotaxi and robotruck operations. Waymo has achieved over 96 million miles of safe autonomous driving in the United States, with performance surpassing human drivers. Li emphasized that safety and regulatory frameworks remain the key challenges to large-scale deployment.

Dr. Zejiang Wang, Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, presented a report titled "Innovative Applications of Model-Free Control and Algebraic Estimation in Smart Transportation." He introduced the use of stream-data-driven control in intelligent transportation systems, noting its applications in range estimation, lane keeping, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) collaboration. Wang concluded that stream-data-based control will become a fundamental enabling technology for intelligent mobility, promoting safer and more efficient transportation networks.

Technical Session 2: Automotive Industry Development and Globalization Outlook

Jianmin Gu, CTO of Valeo China, delivered a presentation titled "Valeo's Model in China: Created in China, Serving the World." He noted that the global automotive industry is transitioning from electrification to intelligence, with software and AI emerging as the core drivers of transformation. China has become a global hub for automotive innovation, with domestic brands accounting for 68% of market share and NEV penetration reaching nearly 66% in the first three quarters of 2025. Since entering China in 1994, Valeo has evolved from "Made in China" to "Created in China," establishing 27 plants, 3 R&D centers, and employing 18,000 people nationwide. Gu emphasized that Valeo will continue to leverage China's innovation strength to drive global services and solutions.

Huayin Tang, Head of EV Product at Li Auto, shared a report titled "Shared Mobility in the UK," presenting insights from the Li Auto L7's user experience in the UK. Tang explained that Li Auto's product design is optimized through real-world travel data, noting that users typically charge for 10–15 minutes after every 300 km of driving, with pure electric models offering a 500 km range and ultra-fast 12-minute charging. The company has so far built 3,500 ultra-fast charging stations and 20,000 charging piles, covering 18 major highways, serving over one million charging sessions during China's National Day holiday week alone. Tang also showcased a prototype of an automated charging robotic arm, envisioning a future of autonomous vehicle charging.

Dr. Min Hua, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Birmingham, presented "AI-Driven Evolution and Synergy in Hierarchical Vehicle Intelligence." She introduced her team's latest research on intelligent vehicle systems, proposing that advances in AI large models and computing power are driving the evolution of vehicles from "seeing" to "thinking and controlling." The team developed a four-layer intelligent architecture covering components, systems, vehicles, and environments, achieving energy management, human-machine collaboration, and vehicle-road integration. Hua emphasized that hierarchical intelligent control will be central to the industry's transition from data-driven to knowledge-driven and collectively intelligent mobility systems.

Technical Session 3: Advanced Battery Technologies

Junxing Huang, CEO of CycleWatt, delivered a presentation titled "The Last One Hundred Meters of Power Batteries." He emphasized that power batteries possess renewable characteristics, meaning they can theoretically achieve a "lifelong cycle" with no true end of life. With the global stock of new energy vehicles exceeding 50 million units, retired batteries are projected to reach 600 GWh by 2030. Huang proposed a dual "macro and micro recycling" system, stressing that battery recycling is not only an environmental necessity but also a strategic opportunity.

CycleWatt's approach centers on whole-pack reuse without disassembly, enabling the conversion of vehicle batteries into energy storage systems, thereby reducing costs and improving safety. Huang called for faster development of standardization and regulatory frameworks to ensure the sustainable growth of the battery industry.

Charles Ma, General Manager of Humanoid Tech, presented a report titled "Forward-Looking Innovations in Wide-Temperature Battery Cell Technology." He introduced battery cells capable of stable operation between –40°C and 85°C, achieved through optimized electrolyte formulations, electrode materials, and separator designs, which significantly enhance both safety and lifespan.

The technology has obtained IATF 16949 and ISO 13485 certifications and is already being applied in medical devices, drones, and polar equipment, with expansion into automotive power systems underway. Ma noted that wide-temperature battery technology is emerging as a high-potential market segment with an annual growth rate exceeding 25%, helping the industry move toward a future of "less thermal management, more energy, and higher safety."

Technical Session 4: Automotive Data Systems and Information Security

In the Technical Session on Automotive Data Systems and Information Security, Yifan Wang, General Manager of Inspur Communications UK, delivered a presentation titled "Green Data Centers: Empowering the Intelligent Future of Electric Vehicles."

Wang highlighted that the automotive industry is transitioning from mechanical to intelligent driving, with data emerging as a new form of energy for electric vehicles. He emphasized that efficient, low-carbon data centers serve as the "brain" of smart mobility, supporting autonomous driving while facing challenges related to computing power and energy consumption.

Inspur is leveraging its global infrastructure and AI computing platforms to build green digital foundations, achieving carbon reduction and efficiency gains through energy-saving hardware and intelligent scheduling. Wang concluded that future mobility will integrate data, computing power, and real-world applications, transforming automobiles into mobile intelligent terminals.

Closing Ceremony: From the UK to France, Ushering in the 2026 Journey

At the closing ceremony on November 2, Ji Li, representing the UK Chinese Society of Automotive Engineers (UKCSAE), reviewed the organizational achievements of this year's event. He then handed over the symbolic flag of global collaboration to the Chinese Automotive Engineers Association in France (AICAF), which will lead the organization of Global Connect 2026.

Shanjin Wang, President of AICAF, stated that the French team will work closely with other member associations of the Global Alliance to ensure the success of the 2026 edition, continuing the event's impact and contributing to the development of the automotive industry.

In closing, Ji Li thanked all speakers, staff, and the Gasgoo livestream platform for their support, expressing anticipation that the 2026 event will achieve even greater success, continuing to provide a high-quality platform for overseas Chinese automotive engineers and supporting the intelligent and low-carbon transformation of the automotive industry.