Gasgoo Munich-The 2026 TEDA Auto Forum kicked off in Tianjin on September 19. In a keynote address, Luo Junjie, executive member of the Party Committee and vice president of the China Machinery Industry Federation, said China’s automotive equipment sector has moved into a phase of "mostly catching up, but leading in parts." In emerging fields like integrated die-casting and flexible manufacturing, domestic gear is now on par with—or even ahead of—global standards. Automakers, he argued, must shed their reliance on imports, open up application scenarios, and establish a regular closed-loop mechanism for collaborative innovation involving vehicle makers, equipment suppliers, and research institutes.Image Credit: TEDA ForumChina boasts the world’s most complete industrial system, the richest array of automotive manufacturing scenarios, and a leading artificial intelligence ecosystem—unique advantages for equipment iteration. In emerging sectors such as new-energy vehicle integrated die-casting and lightweight body processing, domestic equipment firms have already rolled out products that rival or lead the globe.The global auto industry has shifted from competing on individual products to a "product + manufacturing + service + ecosystem" battle, Luo noted. Supply chain coordination, he added, is the only path toward high-quality industrial development.Addressing the current gaps in collaboration between automakers and the equipment sector, Luo highlighted four key shortcomings:Some automakers still prioritize R&D over manufacturing processes and favor imports over domestic alternatives, underestimating upgrades in local technology and making large-scale validation difficult. Upstream and downstream players often operate in silos, lacking a full-chain closed-loop mechanism for demand-driven joint development, scenario validation, and iterative optimization. Additionally, production processes, data interfaces, and equipment adaptation standards often follow overseas systems, driving up integration costs and lowering efficiency for domestic gear. Finally, there is a disconnect between new equipment technologies and actual production needs; automakers' process upgrade requirements often fail to reach R&D teams, leaving innovation detached from application.To address these issues, he proposed four core strategies for coordinated industrial development:First, update industry perceptions. The entire sector must treat design and equipment as equally important, synchronizing product development with manufacturing processes. Automakers should proactively open application scenarios to support the deployment of domestic equipment.Second, build a closed-loop for integrated innovation. Leveraging industry innovation consortiums, the sector should establish a multi-party collaborative mechanism that creates a complete innovation loop—from demand transmission and joint development to iterative promotion.Third, reinforce the role of standards. The industry needs to accelerate the improvement of core standards for domestic intelligent manufacturing, gradually elevating proprietary standards to national and industry levels while actively participating in the formulation of international standards.Fourth, focus on upgrading capabilities through intelligence, green transformation, and integration. Supporting domestic equipment makers as they follow automakers overseas will help boost their international competitiveness.
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