(Yicai) Nov. 6 -- Car software has become a key driver of the innovation and development of automotive technologies amid the trends of electrification, intelligentization, and networking, so an open-source, shared, and interconnected auto industry needs to be built, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

It is necessary to adhere to co-creation and promote the innovation, application, and cooperation of companies, associations, and research institutions in the field of software technology, Fu Bingfeng, CAAM’s executive vice president and secretary general, said at the first China Automotive Software Conference held in Shanghai on Nov. 3.

“Automotive software is gradually moving from being closed to open, and embracing the open-source style is the trend,” noted Feng Guanlin, secretary-general of OpenAtom Foundation. “The power of open source will promote faster and better auto software development.”

“Only through cooperation can we better address global challenges and promote the sustainable development of the digital economy," according to Li Jing, chairman of the World Digital Economic Organization and the World Digital Economy Cooperation and Development Forum. Auto software innovation will promote the digital transformation of the industry and provide more possibilities for intelligent travel, Li added.

The value of car software is surging, but there are some weaknesses, said Wang Junjun, chief technology officer at Voyah Automobile Technology, a Chinese luxury electric vehicle brand owned by Dongfeng Motor Group. Compared with computers and mobile phones, car software is very fragmented, and there are many vehicle models with short development cycles, affecting the process and delivery of software development and testing, Wang noted.

In addition, as autos are becoming “data centers on wheels,” it is difficult to balance software security with personalization, Wang pointed out. So carmakers should also cooperate to connect software, products, markets, and users, Wang added.

The CAAM also released a white paper on software in China's auto industry on Nov. 3, offering suggestions on the sector’s problems. On the same day, it also debuted Tongdao, a new generation of operating system for vehicle-road collaborative open roadside, thereby initiating China’s auto software open-source ecosystem platform.

Editor: Martin Kadiev