The tide surges on the Huangpu River, wisdom converges in Shanghai. A grand intellectual feast focusing on the transformation of the global automotive industry arrived as scheduled—The 33rd International Colloquium of Gerpisa 2025 was successfully held in Shanghai from June 24th to 27th, 2025. Hosted in China for the first time, the colloquium was jointly organized by emlyon business school and School of Economics and Management, Tongji University. Centered on the theme "The Central Role of China in the Global Automotive Industry", it explored three sub-themes: New Technologies and Evolutions of the Value Chain, Social and Regulatory Context, and Challenges for Work and Labor. The colloquium aimed to establish a high-level platform for academic and industrial exchange, promoting the joint development of theory and practice.

The colloquium brought together over 60 international professors and scholars from top universities, executives from globally renowned automakers, and government guests from 14 countries. It successfully hosted 3 plenary sessions, 21 parallel sessions, and organized two automotive brand company visits visits. During the colloquium, industry elites shared insights and explored development trends. Parallel sessions focused on multiple topics, fostering idea exchange and the implementation of cutting-edge concepts. The emlyon Global DBA Session combined academic depth with industry practice, creating a dedicated dialogue platform for high-end talent cultivation and research innovation in the automotive sector. The AIAA (Auto Industry Alumni Association) Session saw collaboration between industry, academia, and research, providing new ideas for cross-boundary innovation. Visits to the NIO House and SAIC Volkswagen further immersed international scholars in Chinese enterprises, tightly integrating academia with practice and injecting new momentum into the development and research of the global automotive industry.

Global Leaders Gather to Chart China's Automotive Globalization Landscape

On the morning of June 24th,The 33rd International Colloquium of Gerpisa 2025 officially commenced. The opening ceremony was moderated by Professor Jian LIANG (Deputy Dean, School of Economics and Management, Tongji University). Opening remarks were delivered by Dr. Tommaso PARDI (Director of GERPISA, Senior Researcher of ENS Paris-Saclay); Professor Qian SHI (Senior Deputy Dean, School of Economics and Management, Tongji University); Professor Hua WANG (Associate Dean, emlyon business school, Dean of emlyon business school Asia, French Dean of Asia Europe Business School ); and Professor Wei ZHAO (Assistant Dean, Institute of Public Policy, South China University of Technology). The subsequent plenary session featured keynote speeches on "The Chinese Auto Industry under the Globalization Perspectives" by several distinguished guests.

▲ First from right: Prof. Jian LIANG, Deputy Dean, School of Economics and Management, Tongji University

▲ From left to right: Prof. Qian SHI, Dr. Tommaso PARDI, Prof. Wei ZHAO, Prof. Hua WANG

Changming XU, Former Deputy Director of the State Information Center and Senior Economist, revealed key trends: China's New Energy Vehicle (NEV) penetration rate has exceeded 49%, with domestic brands holding a 60% market share. Behind the milestone of 5.86 million vehicle exports in 2024 lies a triple transformation of electrification, brand premiumization, and internationalization.

▲ Xu Changming, Former Deputy Director of the State Information Center, Senior Economist

Topic: Outlook of Chinese Auto Industry and its Globalisation

Xiaoshi LIU, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of China EV100, stated that the global NEV market continues rapid development, with China contributing over 60% of the market share. Emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America are becoming new growth engines. China's NEVs are accelerating into the era of intelligence and AI, with new technologies, products, and business models poised for further innovation and breakthroughs. He advocated for actively promoting new models of global cooperation integrating industry chains and service ecosystems.

▲ Liu Xiaoshi, Executive Deputy Secretary-General, China EV100

Topic: The Development Prospects of China's New Energy Vehicle Industry and Global Cooperation Pathways

Professor Takahiro FUJIMOTO of Waseda University and Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo, along with Dr. Pin ZHOU, Alumni of emlyon business school DBA program，used the CAP theoretical framework and CAPAD database for quantitative analysis. They pointed out that as the industry enters the era of AI and software-defined vehicles (SDVs), strategies of German and Japanese automakers in accelerating alliances with Chinese AI and digitalization enterprises are heavily influenced by China's pioneering cross-sector equity alliances and strategic collaborations over the past decade. A "bifurcation" trend is observed: deep equity binding focused on the "cyber-physical layer" (deep hardware-software integration) versus lighter cooperation at the "application software layer." This foreshadows a future of denser multinational strategic alliances driven by complementary strengths.

▲ Prof. Takahiro FUJIMOTO, Professor, Waseda University; Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University

Topic: Comparative Advantages and Global Capability Building in the Automotive Industry of the AI×SDV Era: A CAP Framework Perspective on China, Japan, and Germany

▲ Dr. Pin ZHOU, Alumni of emlyon business school DBA program

Topic: Comparative Advantages and Global Capability Building in the Automotive Industry of the AI×SDV Era: A CAP Framework Perspective on China, Japan, and Germany

Ash SUTCLIFFE, Global PR Director of Geely , presented "Geely's Globalization Path and Multi-dimensional Innovation." He detailed Geely's rapid development over the past decade, significant sales growth, expansion from acquisitions like Volvo to building its own brand portfolio, and continuous global expansion coupled with proactive localization. Geely emphasizes innovation, establishing global R&D centers, mastering core technologies from engines to operating systems and autonomous driving systems, and investing in education to cultivate talent. He affirmed Geely's commitment to cooperation and localization moving forward.

▲ Ash SUTCLIFFE, Global PR Director, Geely

Topic: Geely's Globalization Path and Multi-Dimensional Innovation

Mengdong MI,General Manager of Changan Branding & PR Division, stated that Changan adheres to its core philosophy of "Global Changan, No Overseas Without Localization, In the Local Market for the Local Market." Progressing through four stages—product export, technology localization, brand deployment, and ecosystem co-creation—Changan is building an integrated "R&D-Production-Supply-Sales-Transportation" and "Purchase-Sale-Use-Maintenance-Service" system for its global expansion. This aims to reshape the label of Chinese brands and achieve deep integration into global markets, moving from "going out" to "fitting in."

▲ Mengdong MI, General Manager of Changan Branding & PR Division

Topic: Changan's Glocalization Journey: From Products to Ecosystems

Following the keynotes, a panel discussion moderated by Professor Hua WANG featured industry and academic representatives: Florian-Frederik Deutgen (Head of Corporate Strategy and General Secretary, Audi China), Lin MIAO (VP Corporate & Mobility Quality Management, Sales Quality and Warranty, Bosch China), Dr. Xiaogang WANG (Co-founder, Chief Scientist of SenseTime, Chairman and CEO of SenseAuto), Dr. Jicheng CHEN (Executive Director and President of Jiangsu Zenergy Battery Technologies Group Co., Ltd.), Zhen YAO (General Manager, Expert Engineer, Tencent Smart Mobility Solution, DBA candidate (2021 intake) of emlyon business school), and Professor Weihua LI (Professor, Dean of the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, DBA Supervisor at emlyon business school). They engaged in an in-depth dialogue on "The MADE (Mobility, Autonomous, Digitalization, Electrification) of the Chinese Auto Industry under the Globalization Perspectives," sparking insights on industrial transformation and upgrading.

Deep Insights: Exploring the New Trend of Software-Defined Vehicles

The afternoon panel on June 25th, chaired by Professor Heike PROFF (Chair of International Automotive Management, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany), featured Professor Jun MA (Professor, School of Automotive Studies, Tongji University), Professor John Paul MACDUFFIE (Professor of Management and Director of PVMI, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA), Andreas MAENNEL (Lead Partner Automotive, Deloitte China), and Dr. Feng SHEN (Executive Vice President & Chairman of Quality Management Committee, NIO; Vice President of FISITA and Chairman of the Technical and Industrial Committee). They delved into the core topic: "After the Electrification Strategy - Is the Software-defined Vehicle Next and What is Needed for This?" The discussion analyzed the development path and key enablers of SDVs from multiple dimensions—technological breakthroughs, industrial ecosystems, market demand—offering insightful perspectives on the future evolution of the global automotive industry.

Cross-Boundary Collisions in Digital Intelligence Transformation

The AIAA Special Session (Auto Industry Alumni Association) on the afternoon of June 26th was moderated by Jinquan XU (Vice Chairman and Secretary General of AIAA, Alumni of China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), GDBA candidate of emlyon business school). During the opening session, Dr. Tommaso PARDI, Professor Hua WANG, and Professor Wei ZHAO, representing the Organizing Committee of the 33rd Gerpisa Colloquium, delivered welcome remarks. Mr. Yuan HONG, AIAA Executive Chairman, Chairman of Auto Industry Alumni of SJTU – Antai EMBA, Alumni of Shanghai Jiaotong University, spoke as the AIAA representative, jointly delivering the welcome speech.

▲ Left: Yuan HONG, AIAA Executive Chairman, Chairman of Auto Industry Alumni of SJTU – Antai EMBA, Alumni of Shanghai Jiaotong University

Right: Jinquan XU, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of AIAA, Alumni of China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), GDBA candidate of emlyon business school

Prof. Xichan ZHU, professor at School of Automotive Engineering, Tongji University; Vice Chairman of AIAA, Alumni of Tsinghua University, explored the core value of smart vehicles, covering technological revolution, intelligent driving technology roadmaps, related insurance, and vehicle-road-cloud integration. He analyzed different automakers' approaches to intelligent vehicle innovation and the challenges and trends facing the industry.

Dr. Pin ZHOU, AIAA Co-Chairman, Executive Vice President of CEIBS Alumni Auto  Association, Alumni of Shanghai Jiaotong University, China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), and emlyon business school, focused on explaining the reasons behind the rapid rise of China's SDV-EV capabilities. While often credited to subsidies, he argued that beyond the CAP and Mark3 frameworks, several often-overlooked elements are key drivers of China's role in advancing global automotive AI+SDV.

▲ Dr. Pin ZHOU, AIAA Co-Chairman, Executive Vice President of CEIBS Alumni Auto  Association, Alumni of Shanghai Jiaotong University, China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), and emlyon business school

Topic: Why is China Pivotal in Building Global Capabilities for Automotive AI Digitalization?

Professor Hua WANG (AIAA Co-founder, Chair of the AIAA Academic Committee, Associate Dean of emlyon business school, Dean of emlyon business school Asia, French Dean of Asia Europe Business School) and Professor Sai LAN (Associate Professor, DBA Supervisor, Academic Director of EDP Program, Associate Operations Director of Business Intelligence Center (BIC), emlyon business school) jointly discussed "Open Source Innovation Strategy in the Automotive Industry." They analyzed the strategic value of open-source software for China's automotive digitalization, using DeepSeek as an example to illustrate the advantages of open-source ecosystems. They explored trends in automotive open-source adoption, participation pathways, and theoretical frameworks, providing reference for corporate open-source strategies.

▲ Prof. Sai LAN, Associate Professor, DBA Supervisor,  Academic Director of EDP Program, Associate Operations Director of Business Intelligence Center (BIC), emlyon business school

Topic: Open Source Innovation Strategy in the Automotive Industry

▲ Prof. Hua WANG, AIAA Co-founder, Chair of the AIAA Academic Committee, Associate Dean of emlyon business school, Dean of emlyon business school Asia, French Dean of Asia Europe Business School

Topic: Open Source Innovation Strategy in the Automotive Industry

Hongze YANG, Vice Chairman of AIAA, Alumni of Peking University, pointed out that intelligent electronic architecture is evolving from distributed to domain-centralized, with cabin-driver integration being a core driver, albeit facing challenges like complexity. He asserted that China's automotive industry leads globally in intelligent technology R&D and iteration and called for building a global intelligent ecosystem together.

▲ Hongze YANG, Vice Chairman of AIAA, Alumni of Peking University

Topic: Global Auto Industry Digitalization vs. Open Source Strategy

Dr. Renjie ZHANG, CEO of KPIT China, Former CEO of Volkswagen Group's AI Technology Company, elaborated on the differences between intelligent and traditional vehicles, and the application of AI in autonomous driving, human-machine interaction (including end-to-end computing). He proposed an "AI Automotive Inflection Point Formula," analyzing the impact of technology, policy, ecosystem factors, and future prospects.

▲ Dr. Renjie ZHANG, CEO of KPIT China, Former CEO of Volkswagen Group's AI Technology Company

Topic: How Far Away Is the True Inflection Point for AI-Powered Vehicles?

Dr. Yong WANG, Co-founder and Executive Vice-President of DreamSmart Group, Alumni of Chongqing University and Tsinghua University, explored the new tracks, paradigms, and landscape opened by AI+AR. Drawing on his experience and industry patterns, he analyzed the importance of interaction innovation during technological shifts and the trend of convergence between automotive and electronics industries. He also addressed misconceptions in the XR industry, the advantages of lightweight AR glasses, and their technical challenges, proposing that human-machine hybrid intelligence is the key path towards embodied intelligence.

▲ Dr. Yong WANG, Co-founder and Executive Vice-President of DreamSmart Group, Alumni of Chongqing University and Tsinghua University

Topic: AR Glasses: The "Second Cockpit" for AI Automotive Ecosystem Integration?

Professor Weihua LI, Dean of the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, DBA Supervisor at emlyon business school, discussed AI's driving role in the automotive industry. This includes how AI technologies break through traditional vehicles' "capability ceilings," such as enabling perception revolutions and continuous evolution via enhanced computing power, data support, and algorithmic breakthroughs. He analyzed AI's impact on restructuring the automotive value chain, noting the shift from "hardware-dominant" to "software-defined," and the industry transformation brought by traditional company transitions and tech company entries.

▲ Prof. Weihua LI, Dean of the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, DBA Supervisor at emlyon business school.

Topic: The Future is Here—AI-Driven Automotive—A Look Ahead at AIAA's 12th "Three-University Tour" (SCUT Station)

A panel discussion followed on the theme AI-Powered Vehicles: Reshape from "Technological Race" to "Human-Machine Relationship". Participants included Dr. Renjie ZHANG (CEO, KPIT China), Dr. Yong WANG (Co-founder & Executive Vice-President, DreamSmart Group), Dr. Mingle SUN (CTO, SemiDrive), Yajun LI (Chairman & President, Shanghai Sunic Capital Co., Ltd.), and Xijun PENG (General Manager, Shanghai Xinjinshan Industrial Investment Development Co., Ltd.).

The panelists engaged in an in-depth exploration of eight key topics: Beginning with "Is Conversational AI Ending?", they dissected the reshaping of interaction logic from function presetting to behaviour-driven; explored how spatial computing, multimodal interaction, and ecosystem integration can reshape human-vehicle relationships; analyzed the shift in industrial entry approaches from module integration to 'entrance dominance' alongside the transformation of industrial paths from Tier 1 dominance to AI platform ecosystems; investigated the core components of AI transformation engines (software-hardware collaboration, central computing, cross-domain integration, and space-ground integration); examined the evolution of collaborative relationships from upstream-downstream integration to user scenario co-creation; addressed how capital transitions from investment to empowerment as participants in the AI automotive ecosystem; and evaluated development trends for platform-type AI chip and algorithm service providers. This multidimensional dialogue sparked profound insights into the automotive industry’s transformation in the AI era.

Decoding Automotive Industry Transformation in Detail Globally

While the three plenary sessions outlined the macro landscape of the global automotive industry, the 21 parallel sessions delved into the industry's fabric like precision gears, offering focused explorations. Leveraging profound academic expertise and rich practical experience, they delivered highly insightful presentations. Content closely aligned with the colloquium's core direction: within "New Technologies and Value Chain Evolution," specific topics like charging tech innovation and the impact of autonomous driving development on value chains were dissected; under "Social and Regulatory Environment," practical issues like governance mechanisms and incentive policies for transport innovation tech, and the social/regulatory context for scaling autonomous driving and new mobility solutions were deeply explored; regarding "Challenges in Work and Labor," real-world dilemmas such as labor issues during industrial transformation in the Global South and Europe were addressed.

Additionally, two dedicated emlyon Global DBA sessions were featured within the parallel sessions, facilitating deep exchanges between academic experts and current doctoral students, adding depth and breadth to academic exchange and providing diverse perspectives for industry development.

One session was chaired by Professor Tianran YIN (Professor of Practice, Director of Global DBA (Asia Track), emlyon business school) . Professor Min XU (Distinguished Professor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dean of the Automotive Engineering Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, PhD Supervisor) delivered a presentation titled "Revolution,evolution and involution" Additionally, Professor Tiemin WANG (Associate Professor, Peking University, Guanghua School of Management, DBA Supervisor at emlyon business school) shared insights on the topic of "Organizational Capabilities of Interfirm Competition and Cooperation" Doctoral candidates Zhen YAO and Rongtian YI presented reports exploring safety management gaps caused by dispersed decision-making chains in automakers and the mechanisms for China's NEV industry embedding into the European market under the dual-circulation pattern. Professor Jianxin YOU(Professor, School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Chief Advisor of Shanghai Industrial Innovation Ecosystem Research Center, DBA Supervisor at emlyon business school) and Professor Feiyi GAO (Professor, School of Management Harbin Institute of Technology, Director of the Strategic Development Research Center at Harbin Institute of Technology, DBA Supervisor at emlyon business school) participated in the interaction.

Another session, chaired by Professor Mike CHAO (Professor of Marketing, Academic Director of Global DBA Program (Asia Track), DBA Supervisor at emlyon business school), featured English presentations by doctoral candidates Jian ZHU , Yang HE , and Dr. Chuanjuan WU on topics including ESG driving competitive advantage in China's NEV industry, quality management under Industry 4.0, and human-machine congruence. Subsequently, Professors Francesca SPIGARELLI, Martin SCHRÖDER, and Dr. Tommaso PARDI provided commentary and interacted. The session concluded with Professor Hua WANG presenting certificates to emlyon DBA supervisors.

Experiencing Leading Practices in China's Automotive Innovation Firsthand

Visit to NIO House

Following the sessions on June 25th, participants visited the NIO House at Shanghai Tower. They first experienced and witnessed NIO's signature battery swap service. The efficiency of its globally leading ultra-fast charging and swapping platform allowed attendees to intuitively feel the convenience brought by the innovative "Chargeable, Swappable and Upgradeable" concept. During test drives of new NIO models, participants deeply experienced the brand's technological breakthroughs, including intelligent driving features, smooth handling from the fully active suspension system, and precise driving enabled by steer-by-wire technology, alongside the reassurance provided by smart safety systems. Dr. Feng SHEN, Executive Vice President & Chairman of Quality Management Committee, NIO; Vice President of FISITA and Chairman of the Technical and Industrial Committee, introduced NIO's core vision of "Blue Sky Coming," committed to creating a sustainable future and joyful lifestyle through smart EV tech innovation and user community building. NIO's user-centric intelligent cockpit, in-car 5D cinema scenarios ("mobile living spaces"), and its community ecosystem gave international participants a comprehensive understanding of this Chinese smart EV leader driven by technological innovation.

Visit to SAIC Volkswagen MEB Plant

On the morning of June 27th, participants visited the SAIC Volkswagen MEB Plant in Shanghai's Jiading District. Olaf GUTOWSKI, Executive Director of Strategy and Integrated Business at SAIC Volkswagen, introduced the company. As one of China's oldest automotive joint ventures, established in 1985, SAIC Volkswagen (a JV between SAIC Motor and Volkswagen AG, among others) has continuously deepened its roots in automotive manufacturing. Headquartered in Shanghai's Anting, it has developed a vast production layout encompassing 6 major production bases, 2 powertrain plants, 1 battery plant, and 1 technical center. The MEB Plant visited is particularly significant—it is Volkswagen Group's first globally dedicated intelligent production base for pure electric vehicles built on the MEB platform. Covering 405,000 sqm with an investment of RMB 17 billion, it has an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles. After an exhibition hall tour and introduction, participants toured the plant facilities, including stamping, body shop, paint shop, assembly, and battery assembly workshops, along with the body distribution center, automated high-bay warehouse, and test track. Efficient logistics are enabled by connecting corridors spanning municipal roads. This plant represents Volkswagen's latest commitment to NEVs and showcases the transformation and progress of the automotive industry in the new energy era.

From the intellectually charged colloquium venues to hands-on enterprise visits, the 33rd Gerpisa International Colloquium anchored itself in China, connecting the technological breakthroughs, ecosystem restructuring, and future pathways of the global automotive industry. This dialogue spanning academia and industry not only outlined China's central role in the global automotive map but also infused the sector's transformation with forward momentum through an open and collaborative spirit.