China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with eight other government departments, has unveiled the 15th Five-Year Plan for the intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry. The plan places strong emphasis on strengthening foundational capabilities in artificial intelligence, calling for accelerated innovation in AI models and intelligent agents, with the automotive sector singled out as the first industry to see these technologies put into practical use.

Under the new policy framework, authorities are promoting the establishment of pilot bases for AI applications in vehicles. The plan encourages automakers and tech firms to build computing infrastructure through a combination of public and private investment, while also urging enterprises to open up more application scenarios. This approach is designed to foster a comprehensive new ecosystem where AI technologies can be broadly integrated across the industry.

The plan further details specific applications of AI within vehicles themselves. Key focus areas include intelligent energy management, dynamic motion control, multimodal human-machine interaction, personalized and proactive service delivery, and predictive fault detection. By enabling cross-domain collaboration inside the vehicle, the initiative aims to achieve functions such as cockpit-driving integration and adaptive full-scenario control.

Beyond the vehicle itself, the plan envisions deeper connectivity between automobiles and the wider smart technology landscape. This includes building stronger links between cars and intelligent robots, smart home systems, and wearable devices, creating a seamless and interconnected digital ecosystem across multiple aspects of daily life.