Magna has been invited to advise Chinese authorities through the China Automotive Technology and Research Centre (CATARC).
Numerous global suppliers such as Magna, Valeo, Continental, Dana and Delphi, have multiple operations in China which is now implementing its 13th five-year plan with the automotive sector forming a central ‘pillar’ of ‘industrialisation’.
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“One of the areas we try to get involved in is CATARC,” Asia Magna EVP, Frank O’Brien told just-auto on the sidelines of this week’s Global Automotive Forum in the central city of Chongqing.
“[It] is a combination of the state and industry together. Typically, what the government will do when they implement the 13th Five-Year plan…we are allowed to participate on committees.
“Last year we had committees on emissions [and] connectivity. We participated in those and that is [as] close as we can get. The good thing about China is they solicit a lot of our input.”
“The thing you have got to remember is major OEMs are also part of the government so, on a day-to-day basis, every major [automaker], except a few private ones, has a communist member at the VP or EVP level. In fact it means they tunnel in to what is going on and provide feedback on a downstream basis from Beijing on what the government is thinking.”
O’Brien noted the supplier was doing its best to move from data collection to data analysis in China.
“It is an industry that requires more analytical effort,” he said.
Magna said it was also the first member of the China Automotive Manufacturers Association.
