Rearview mirror: Car industry's hot topics in 2017

3. Report: The future is clean and clever

China is set to build a globally competitive automotive industry within 10 years, with new energy vehicles and smart, internet-connected cars taking the lead worldwide, according to an industry guideline released in April. Among other goals, the guideline expects sales of electric, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell cars in the nation to reach 2 million by 2020, and such cars are to account for 20 percent of all auto sales by 2025. Half of new cars in China will feature some driving assistance and low-level autonomous driving functions by 2020, and the number is expected to rise to 80 percent in 2025.