By Zhang zhubin & Wang Yajing

"Intelligent automobile technologies have always been in use. They make operation of a car easier and driving safer. In the past five years, the trend of intelligent automobile has been speeding up rapidly. Now, more than 90 percent of innovations in the auto industry are related to car intelligence system. Intelligent car is becoming the focal point of R&D in the auto industry", said Li Chunlei, chief editor of China Automotive News, on the 1st China Automotive Intelligence Development and Application Summit held recently.

According to a study, Chinese car consumers' needs, understanding, and expectation of cars are changing, a major manifestation being smarter cars. Long ago, a car was the privilege of the rich, symbolizing the status of the individual or the family. Now, more and more people consider a car nothing more than a transportation tool, an information platform, and an entertainment platform. Particularly for the generation born after 1980 who grew up with the internet, the feeling is much stronger.

What, then, are the criteria of automobile intelligence? Doc. Chen Xiaobing, chief automotive electronics engineer of Xiamen King Long United Automotive Industry Company, believes that the development of intelligent automobile technologies should boil down to users' fundamental needs: being both energy-saving and safe.

The running environments for cars are getting more and more complicated and the requirement for horsepower is different. "Some people may buy a car with 2.4L displacement, but 2.4L is only useful in certain environment. Most of the time, 1.8L would be enough, and 1.4 would suffice when going down a slope. So, can we do some smart adjustment to the horsepower of the car?" According to Chen Xiaobing, the technology has been achieved.

Automotive intelligence will undoubtedly increase the safety of the car. Now, more intelligent systems and early warning systems have been used as proactive safety systems. These products can not only warn the drivers about potential risks, but also help the drivers to take protective measures. 

On this basis, the concept of the internet of cars was born. It covers almost all existing and yet-to-be-developed technologies about automotive intelligence. "Besides providing application information such as driving safety and parking guidance, the internet of cars can also develop such functions as entertainment and remote communication easily. Intelligent automobile systems have already been well recognized for improving traffic safety. Also, intelligent application of automobile will be the development trend of future automotive safety products", said Li Chunlei.

On June 12, Apple convened its annual WWDC2012. Besides the IOS6 and the brand-new retina-display Mac-book Pro that exited Apple fans, an inconspicuous little technology shocked the auto industry: when Apple was introducing the application of SIRI, it released a voice control function named Eyesfree, which can be connected to a car and enable the driver to give instructions to the car through Apple's digital assistance SIRI.

"Apple's entrance into the market of auto intelligent development and application points out the trend of automotive intelligence development in the future. Moreover, it infuses refreshing technology elements into the automobile manufacturing industry". In the views Wu Hong, CEO of Huizhou Freeway Electronics, whether the SEFM model is generally applicable among auto companies and in the market requires further observation, depending mainly on whether Apple can continue to invest in the market like Microsoft does.

Due to technological restriction and the chaos at the initial stage of commercialization, the cost of intelligent automobile system is still very high. Companies should accelerate efforts in products development and quality control.

However, according to experts, the cost of electronics accounts for only 10 percent of the total cost of China's domestic cars. In developed countries, the proportion is around 20 to 40 percent, even 50 percent in some advanced models. The room for the intelligent development of automobile is still vast for China's automobile industry.