Jiaotong University EMBA Automobile Association Study Tour: Exploring The Context of Shiyan's Commercial Vehicle Industry And Experiencing The 'Martial Lamp Spirit' of China's Automotive Industry"

To gain deep insights into the innovation and upgrading trajectory of China's commercial vehicle industry and explore the development dynamics of regional industrial clusters, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University EMBA Automotive Industry Association (hereinafter referred to as the "Auto Association") and MIEE Automotive recently co-organized a special inspection tour of the Hubei automotive industry chain for member units in "Auto City Shiyan". The inspection involved in-depth visits to core automotive manufacturers in Shiyan, including Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle, Seres, Chitian Heavy-Duty Truck, and Baolu Special Purpose Vehicle. Through on-site investigations, the tour comprehensively researched the industry's development status in key areas such as new energy transformation, the construction of smart manufacturing facilities, and breakthroughs in core technologies, aiming to establish an efficient exchange bridge for industrial collaborative innovation.

The first stop of the tour brought the Auto Association delegation along the profound industrial veins of the "Auto City Shiyan" to the Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Brand Experience Center. Here, members immersed themselves in the 56-year heritage of Dongfeng's vehicle manufacturing, witnessing first-hand the entire process of intelligent manufacturing for high-end commercial vehicles.

Through diverse activities including film screenings, exhibition vehicle appreciation, intelligent interactive experiences, immersive historical progression simulations, and component platform observations, the delegation systematically reviewed Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle's development journey and deeply engaged with its cutting-edge technological achievements. By learning about the company's arduous pioneering days during the Third Front Construction (san xian jian she) era to its current transformation and upgrading in the new era, participants drew immense strength from the "Third Front Spirit" (san xian jing shen) to forge ahead with renewed determination.

Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "the Company") traces its origins to the Second Automobile Manufacturing Plant, established in 1969 。 Through 50 years of development, the Company has grown into a well-known manufacturer in China with the most comprehensive product line and business portfolio in the medium and heavy-duty truck sector. It serves as the core business unit for medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles under the Dongfeng Motor Group .

The Company's headquarters is located in Shiyan City, Hubei Province . As of the end of 2023, it employed approximately 16,000 people. The Company operates its own independent R&D center, 2 headquarters plants, 8 subsidiaries/branches, and 2 sales units for vehicles and the aftermarket. It has established a business layout with Shiyan as its base, extending to Xiangyang, Suizhou, and Xinjiang . Its main businesses cover medium and heavy-duty trucks, special-purpose vehicles, key truck assemblies (cabs, frames, engines, transmissions, axles), casting and forging, and aftermarket operations。

The delegation then proceeded to the AI 4.0 Smart Factory of Chitian Automobile Co., Ltd., continuing their exploration of the intelligent transformation pathways within Shiyan's automotive industry. During the visit, the team conducted on-site inspections of the vehicle dispatch center, painting workshop, and the technical R&D center. A key part of the tour was observing innovative products, including the New Da V wide-body dump trucks and off-road mining dump trucks. Among these, the pure electric dual-balance rigid mining truck technology independently developed by Chitian, recognized for its internationally advanced level, garnered significant interest and sparked lively discussions among the delegation members

Chitian Automobile Co., Ltd. was established in 2002. The company's campus spans 720 mu (approximately 48 hectares) and is equipped with four first-class engineering vehicle modification production lines and one wide-body mining truck hybrid production line . It has established a modern production base with an annual capacity of 60,000 high-lightweight dump trucks .

The company holds the "Vehicle Product Announcement" qualification authorized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) -5. It is a leading specialized vehicle enterprise in the heavy-duty truck and engineering vehicle industry in China, recognized for the highest production and sales volume from a single factory .

Thanks to its comprehensive strength, Chitian Automobile has been honored with numerous awards, including:

"China Leading Special Vehicle Enterprise" ."National-Level Smart Manufacturing Demonstration Unit" ."National Enterprise Standard 'Frontrunner'" (as indicated in the query, implied by the context of national recognition)."Hubei Provincial Single Champion Enterprise"."Hubei Top 100 Manufacturing Enterprises" ."Hubei Top 100 Private Enterprises"

Next, the delegation visited SERES (Hubei) Co., Ltd., conducting an on-site observation of its smart factory production line.** Members closely observed the fully automated and digitalized manufacturing process of new energy vehicles, gaining firsthand insight into the unique appeal of cutting-edge production technologies. On-site staff provided detailed introductions on the technical highlights, design philosophy, and market positioning of SERES' latest vehicle models. From advanced driver-assistance systems to extended-range technology, and from stylish exterior designs to human-centric interior layouts, the delegation gained a comprehensive understanding of SERES' innovative achievements in the new energy vehicle sector.

As a technology enterprise deeply engaged in the field of new energy vehicles, SERES achieved a groundbreaking collaboration with global ICT giant Huawei in 2021. This partnership realized deep channel integration between a technology brand and an intelligent vehicle brand. Together, they launched the AITO Wenjie brand and subsequently released three SUV models: the AITO Wenjie M5, M7, and M9, which successfully ignited the new energy vehicle market and became a remarkable "dark horse" in the industry.

Its smart factory, which was honored with the 2023 "Intelligent Manufacturing Demonstration Factory" title, is equipped with over 5,000 intelligent devices. A standout feature is the 9000-ton-level integrated die-casting process, which contributes to the factory's capability of rolling out a new vehicle **every 30 seconds, demonstrating internationally first-class automotive production capacity.

**The final stop of the inspection tour brought the Auto Association delegation to the Dongfeng Automobile Museum.** Amidst yellowed historical documents and weathered exhibits that carry the weight of history, the group traced the magnificent journey of China's automotive industry from its fledgling beginnings to its current global aspirations. They gained a deeper understanding of how Shiyan, as the "Auto City," has developed in lockstep with the national automotive industry, vibrating in unison with its pulse.

From the arduous pioneering efforts in the early years of the nation, through breaking technological barriers during the reform and opening-up period, to the full-scale push into the field of intelligent connected new energy vehicles (ICVs) in the new era, Dongfeng's development path vividly illustrates the craftsmanship spirit—rooted at the grassroots and striving for excellence—passed down through generations of automotive professionals. It showcases their steadfast belief in serving the nation through industrial development.

This inspection tour of Shiyan's automotive industry proved to be not merely an in-depth decoding of the "Auto City's" industrial heritage and innovative vitality, but also a valuable journey of empowerment—facilitating resource connection and intellectual collision across the entire industry chain. Through the lens of its leading enterprises, the delegation witnessed firsthand the transformative leap of traditional manufacturers from "Made in China" towards "Intelligently Made in China". They observed technological breakthroughs and experienced the market dynamism within the commercial vehicle sector, gaining a profound understanding of Shiyan's industrial resilience and developmental ambition as a pivotal hub of China's automotive industry. The SJTU EMBA Automotive Association will seize this inspection as a significant opportunity to continuously deepen industrial interaction and resource integration. By pooling industry wisdom and practical expertise, we are committed to contributing more pragmatic experience and innovative ideas to advance the high-quality development of China's automotive industry and accelerate its climb towards the mid-to-high end of the global value chain.