Global auto suppliers seek partnerships at Shanghai auto show
A staff member (1st L) of Horizon Robotics displays a driver assistance system at the 21st Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in Shanghai on April 25.
The 21st Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2025) has become a pivotal platform for global suppliers to seek partnerships in China.
A strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between German industrial giant Bosch and Chinese AI chipmaker Horizon Robotics is a typical example of such cooperation.
Under the MoU, Bosch will develop its new multipurpose cameras and upgrade its driver-assistance systems using Horizon Robotics' chip products.
"We look forward to collaborating with outstanding partners like Horizon Robotics to jointly advance the global development of intelligent driving technologies," said Christoph Hartung, president of Bosch Cross-Domain Computing Solutions.
Auto Shanghai 2025, which is running from April 23 to May 2, has attracted nearly 1,000 companies from 26 countries and regions.
"If you stop investing here, you get left behind," said Holger Klein, CEO of German auto parts supplier ZF Group.
With the Chinese market contributing 20 percent of its global revenue, the group has established five R&D centers in China, including a Guangzhou facility that opened two years ago.
Noting that Chinese consumers are tech-savvy, Klein said that 50 percent of new cars sold are new energy vehicles (NEVs) or smart cars that have an automation level of L2 or above.
Many global suppliers are looking forward to collaborating on technology applications in intelligent cars.
A visitor tries a steering system solution of Bosch Huayu at the 21st Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in Shanghai on April 25.
At the show, Toyota Boshoku is exploring partnerships with Chinese NEV makers for smart cabin solutions, while ZEISS Microoptics is seeking local collaborators to industrialize its holographic display technology for automotive applications.
Japan's Sony is attending the auto show for the first time, eyeing China's automotive entertainment market. The company is adapting its award-winning audio technologies for electric vehicles, aiming to provide a theater-quality experience for Chinese customers in their cars.
"We want to co-create with Chinese partners, not just sell to them," said Weng Guoxiong, head of Sony China's automotive division.
