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General Motors China President Discusses Future Mobility

Today at the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Global Automotive Forum in Wuhan, General Motors Executive Vice President and President of GM China Matt Tsien discussed GM’s vision and China’s role for making urban mobility and intelligent driving solutions a reality.

The discussion is based on the premise that by 2030, it is expected that 60 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas which may place pressure on their respective infrastructures − some of which are already struggling to meet growing demand for basic services and transportation.

“GM has the passion, the technology experience and the global resources to help make the transportation experience more convenient, safer and cleaner,” said Tsien.

As the world’s most emergent economy, China will feel the impact greater than any other. With a rapidly growing urban population and vehicle ownership,  China needs viable solutions to help overcome challenges like pollution, congestion, limited parking, and traffic accidents that result when more drivers are on the road. According to Tsien, GM is actively working mitigating these circumstances through the development of next-generation technologies (such as short- and long-range radar, cameras, and sensors ), alternative forms of transportation, and vehicle ownership to help people navigate congested cities.

Tsien shared details of the next generation of the 2010 Electric Networked-Vehicle (EN-V) concept – the Chevrolet EN-V 2.0 – which was designed, engineered, and built in Shanghai. The EN-V 2.0 will have room for two people and their cargo, and will offer autonomous features like as automated valet parking and retrieval.

“We have been testing the EN-V 2.0 in urban environments as well as in car sharing settings,” said Tsien. “We think a vehicle like this concept can play an especially important role in a ‘first mile – last mile’ model.” With that model, commuters would arrive in an urban area via public transportation and then borrow an EN-V 2.0 to finish their respective commutes, then return back to the public transportation hub at the end of the day. GM expects to announce a demonstration and testing location in China for such a concept in ensuing months.

Since 2012, GM has also been working on a technology called Super Cruise that allows for hands-free driving on the highway, both at speed and in stop-and-go conditions. The end result is a safer, more efficient commute, as the cars won’t crash. Super Cruise will appear for the first time on a future, all-new Cadillac in the U.S., to then be followed by China.

“GM is focused on urban mobility and intelligent traffic solutions because that is what consumers around the world expect from one of the industry’s technology leaders,” Tsien added. “China will play an important role as both an innovator and a beneficiary of our exciting future technology.”

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  1. It is nice to see that GM wants to be forward thinking about China’s future traffic movement , automation etc , BUT for the average buyer and the government’s more immediate need, and they know it , are vehicles with minimal or no pollution . Their pollution levels are frightening in many areas . and has a huge effect on CO2 levels worldwide . The manufacturer that first to the table with a cost effective ; fuel cell , battery , diesel with out of the ball park economy and emissions , or it could be a super cost effective hybrid , OR ?? , will be the recognized leader in the transportation industry here and in the rest of the developing nations where gas and diesel are not abundant and expensive . This will happen , so lead , follow or get the hell out of the way , comes to mind . !!
    In the meantime , give the marketplace here what they want in size(footprint and four corner visibility) and top rated fuel economy, emissions . The roads are not the best and parking a premium so visibility and excellent turning radius are a big plus . The one car maker that I think is the competitor most progressive and smart enough to build on their success in China is Volkswagon . They build some of the most cost effective transportation around . What are they now , No. 2 behind Toyota in world sales ?? Don’t be surprised when , perhaps , Volkswagon makes a game changing propulsion system that becomes China’s biggest seller , and be the start of a worldwide new age in transportation !!

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