Shanghai is a complex city with a huge population and it struggles with the usual problems that go along with that. However, this Pearl of the Orient has a few aces up its sleeve.
The city’s proximity to the sea has proven a real asset, not only in reducing the impact of air pollutants but also in serving as a major sea port—the busiest in the world. Thanks to this port, the city has gradually emerged as a trade hub, and hence anything related to transportation and mobility is pivotal to its continued leadership position.
The government understands this very well, and is pushing a number of smart and clean initiatives. To encourage the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs), the city offers generous financial incentives as well as a free vehicle license plate. Given the high cost and long waiting period for non-electric license plates, this latter sweetener is particularly effective. Then there is the collection policy on EV data, all in the name of network efficiency improvements. The local government requires EV drivers to share data on where they travel and how the vehicles are used. This data is collected and analysed by the Shanghai Electric Vehicle Public Data Collecting, Monitoring and Research Centre. If you don’t want to share your data, you don’t qualify for the purchase incentive.
Some of Shanghai’s public transport is truly excellent and worth talking about
The government is also pushing development of intelligent and connected vehicles (ICVs), which could potentially eliminate traffic jams and road fatalities. The city is home to the National Intelligent Connected Vehicle (Shanghai) Pilot Zone. This multi-modal vehicle-to-everything test environment is designed as an innovation incubator for advanced connected vehicle technology R&D. There is also potential for taking ICVs to the road. Regulations on ICV Road Testing were issued for the city in February 2018, the product of a collaboration among the Shanghai Municipal Economic Information Commission, Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission.
As one industry player observed, in China, “The government is always involved.” That may be helpful in propelling developments, but it also makes it more difficult for companies to remain independent—or to speak with foreign media. Automotive World encountered a real reluctance among public transport authorities, which have been especially guarded at the moment due to the ongoing situation in Hong Kong.
The city has gradually emerged as a trade hub, and hence anything related to transportation and mobility is pivotal to its continued leadership position
And some of Shanghai’s public transport is truly excellent and worth talking about. The city is home to two airports, 16 subway lines, more than 1,000 bus lines and the Maglev train, the fastest commercial high-speed electric train in the world. Various forms of shared mobility are pouring in as well, from bikes and scooters to car-share and ride-hailing.
The city is also establishing itself as a gathering place for global automotive players to show off their latest technological developments and to brainstorm future strategies. Whether it is the Connected Vehicle Conference or the Shanghai Auto Show, the city is attracting the attention of top industry decision makers and tomorrow’s leaders. To find out more about how it intends to put these innovative new ideas into play, check out Automotive World‘s latest Special Report: The future of mobility in Shanghai.
