Conference will imagine future of the car industry

Though it has remained basically the same over the past century, the time to redefine the auto industry could have arrived as non-traditional players bring about revolutionary changes, said industry insiders.

"Truly it is time for us to reconsider vehicles as a result of our environmental concerns as well as the Internet's penetration into our daily lives," said Chen Ping, chief engineer of BJEV, the new-energy vehicle arm of BAIC Motor, at a press conference for the Global New-Energy Vehicle Conference to be held next month in Tianjin.

"Though cars' fundamental function as a means of transport will not change soon, they will be become electrified, connected to the Internet and smart," he said, citing the example of mobile phones that can be wirelessly charged in BJEV's electric car EV 200.