BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- China, an automotive innovation powerhouse, is steering toward an era of smart cars while moving to address formidable safety challenges.

 

The country is accelerating its technological innovation and strengthening supervision to mitigate risks resulting from lithium batteries, autonomous driving and network loopholes in smart cars.

 

As the auto industry landscape rapidly evolves, these safety concerns are taking center stage. The number of smart cars equipped with advanced driving assistance systems has been on the rise in China for years.

 

In the first half of 2023, a remarkable 42.4 percent of new passenger cars sold in China had Level 2 autonomous driving functions, data shows. These vehicles can autonomously manage following distances, execute lane changes, and even overtake other vehicles based on navigation systems, adding extra excitement to the driver experience.

 

Zhang Guangming, an official of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, highlighted the vital role of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) in the development of the auto industry.

 

The Internet of Vehicles is a world where data flows seamlessly, connecting vehicles, roads, cloud networks and people, Zhang said, and this interconnectedness is shaping the future of the automotive industry and becoming a massive driving force behind economic growth.

 

But Xiao Lingyun, an official of the State Administration for Market Regulation, has warned that safety remains a paramount concern in the development of intelligent connected vehicles.

 

New risks from autonomous driving include failure to recognize surrounding objects, target loss and insufficient predictions, Xiao said.

 

Chen Shanzhi, deputy general manager of China Information and Communications Technology Group Co., Ltd., has warned of the risks of malicious interference, identity theft and data loss within the Internet of Vehicles.

 

Chinese carmakers and tech companies are investing heavily in the improvement of the Internet of Vehicles to reduce potential safety risks posed by the new technologies.

 

China is drafting and revising its rules for autonomous driving, network security and data security, and strengthening the synergy of its rules for cars, infrastructure and telecommunication, said Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology.

 

Sun Zhengliang, head of the Ministry of Public Security's Traffic Management Research Institute, said that China has established seven national-level Internet of Vehicles pilot zones and issued over 10,000 temporary license plates across more than 40 cities.

 

Five central government departments have launched the "Sandbox Supervision" system, providing a controlled testing ground for new vehicle products and models. With the system, risks are manageable and innovation unfolds at a thrilling pace, allowing new products to hit the market quickly.

 

Recognizing that Internet of Vehicles security is a global issue, Zhang said that China will collaborate closely with other nations and provide Chinese solutions for Internet of Vehicles security in the future.