Professor Zhu Xichan Appointed Chief Expert at China Automotive Research Institute

Recently, Professor Zhu Xichan has taken on a new role as the Chief Expert at the Information Intelligent Division of the China Automotive Research Institute, primarily responsible for work in information intelligence safety technology. As an authority in the field of assisted driving, he aims to leverage his expertise to promote breakthroughs in standards related to intelligent connected vehicles and to enhance the industry's voice. He possesses profound academic knowledge and exceptional technical skills, maintaining a keen interest in the latest developments in the assisted driving sector. Previously, he was appointed as a technical advisor at Gaishi Automotive. In a recent in-depth dialogue with Gaishi Automotive, Professor Zhu discussed recent hot topics in assisted driving, safety regulation issues, standards, and testing, ultimately emphasizing the bottom line of safety. As he stated, "Safety is the baseline, user experience is crucial, and ethics must be upheld; this is what constitutes a qualified intelligent vehicle." The discourse also touched upon the surge in public scrutiny surrounding assisted driving accidents, particularly following a recent incident involving a new energy vehicle company that raised significant concerns about assisted driving safety. Keywords from the company's response ignited public skepticism about assisted driving technology. Following this incident, calls for stronger safety regulation in assisted driving have intensified. Zhu noted that regulatory measures on assisted driving safety have already been in place at the policy level, and this incident has brought regulatory issues back to the forefront. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration for Market Regulation released a notice in late February to strengthen management of intelligent connected vehicle product access, recalls, and software upgrades. More recently, on June 4, the National Standard Information Public Service Platform officially announced the national standard project for "Safety Requirements for Combined Driving Assistance Systems in Intelligent Connected Vehicles," aimed at ensuring safety in L2 level assisted driving systems. This national standard outlines general technical requirements and testing methods, signaling the urgent need for robust standardization efforts in the industry. Zhu emphasized that as the assisted driving sector evolves rapidly, the establishment of national standards and testing methodologies must accelerate. He expressed hope to continue contributing to intelligent connected technology evaluation work. Zhu's extensive experience in automotive testing and standards development aligns with his new responsibilities, and he believes that China must lead in establishing standards tailored to its unique context in the assisted driving industry. The ongoing debate between 'pure vision' and 'LiDAR' approaches in assisted driving systems continues, with notable industry figures advocating for both sides. Zhu mentioned that testing results show differences in performance between the two methods under varying conditions, supporting the argument that a multi-environment sensor approach yields better driving results. As the automotive intelligence race enters a critical phase, safety remains paramount, with Zhu asserting that "safety is the greatest luxury" in the development of assisted driving systems.