An expat experiences an intelligent driving system during a visit to the Shenzhen Technology University on Wednesday. Courtesy of the event organizers

Liu Yangyang

524652046@qq.com

TEN expats, including scholars, experts, and entrepreneurs, visited Pingshan District on Wednesday to explore Shenzhen’s growing new energy vehicle (NEV) industry and intelligent driving technology.

Organizers of the event, titled “Explore Future Transportation — A Field Trip on Intelligent Driving,” included the Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology, and Innovation Bureau, the Shenzhen Municipal Foreign Experts Affairs Bureau, the Pingshan District Science, Technology, and Innovation Bureau, EyeShenzhen, and Shenzhen Technology University.

The first stop was the Bay Area Intelligent Connected Test Field, a land-and-air testing facility designed to provide services and equipment for intelligent connected vehicles and low-altitude aircraft.

“I’m always amazed by the rapid development across so many industries in China. Take Pingshan, for example — they’ve built the large test zone specifically for self-driving cars and other emerging technologies,” Jose Antonio Vigara Alvarez de Perea, a Spanish architect, said.

Their second stop was BYD’s headquarters, where the group viewed its latest NEV models and learned about the SkyRail (BYD’s straddle-beam monorail system) and cutting-edge technologies like the blade battery.

“By attending this tour, I was able to see BYD’s manufacturing process firsthand. I was fascinated by the development of autonomous vehicles,” said American George Allen Griffin Jr., founder of Deng Griffin Consulting.

The final stop was Shenzhen Technology University, where the group attended a presentation by Li Heyan, a professor from the university. The visitors also toured the college’s labs, where they were shown how students build their own electric racing cars.

During a sharing session at the university, Rahul Warrier, an Indian manager at CTel Infosystems Pvt Ltd., remarked, “What struck me about this place is how you really get to see students working hands-on with new technology. It’s a great opportunity for them to gain practical experience in a field that’s rapidly evolving.”