Manufacturing new opportunities through innovation

Smart projectors

A report from global market research company International Data Corp said shipments of projectors in the Chinese market tallied some 5.05 million units in 2022, and Chengdu-based Xgimi Technology once again led the way in both shipments and sales. After breaking the monopoly of foreign brands in the Chinese market in 2018, Xgimi has ranked first in shipments for five consecutive years and first in both shipments and sales for three consecutive years. In the middle and high-end projector market, Xgimi maintains first place in shipments with a market share of up to 31 percent.

Zhong Bo, a graduate of the computer science program at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, founded Xgimi Technology in 2013 after returning to Chengdu. After setting up operations in the Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, the company quickly took the lead in creating a new category of homeuse smart projectors.

"Life in Chengdu is relatively stable and the government provides favorable policies to support enterprises and talents. R & D professionals have more room to create groundbreaking products," Zhong said of choosing to launch the enterprise in Chengdu. "The entrepreneurial environment in Chengdu is very friendly to R & D of innovative products and also has an established optical research base with deep accumulation in the optoelectronic display field."

Its products are sold in more than 100 countries and regions, including the United States, Canada and Japan. According to Zhong, the Aladdin series of products from Xgimi Technology tops shipments in the Japanese home smart projector market.

'Flying car'

On April 6, Aerofugia, a Chengdu-based low altitude transportation manufacturer, unveiled its AE220 manned electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft — the largest eVTOL, or electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, independently developed by the company. At 3.5 meters tall, 9.5 meters long and with a wingspan of 14 meters, the "flying car" can accommodate one driver and four passengers.

"Currently, the air-range of the AE200 is 200-300 kilometers, and the cruising speed can reach 250 kilometers per hour," said Fei Lan, a marketing director for Aerofugia, adding that most of the project's R & D team worked in Chengdu.

The AE200 uses new energy, which has low noise and emissions and effectively reduces operating costs. "It can accomplish vertical takeoffs and landings, so it doesn't have the need for runways. In theory, as long as there is a spacious enough place, it can take off on the spot," said Fei.

Unmanned vehicles

In May, the first batch of made-in-Chengdu intelligent connected vehicles with L4 autonomous driving capability conducted tests at the Chengdu Economic and Technological Development Zone in the city's Longquanyi district. L4 autonomous driving is a standard of automation denoting the vehicles are capable of fully sensing the environment, planning routes and autonomously controlling operation by utilizing electronic technology. They are equipped with a sensor system composed of multiple laser radars, blind spot radars, cameras and millimeter wave radars.

"We are essentially reshaping cars to make them smarter and safer," said Yin Runtian, a technician from Chengdu TGWL Technology. Yin said the sensors function like eyes and ears, providing visual and auditory capabilities similar to humans, enabling real-time and precise detection of surroundings in all directions.

After the capability testing is completed, the autonomous vehicles will be put into real driving scenarios, including bridges, tunnels, expressways and city roads, and residents will be able to experience them for free on the open test roads in Longquanyi district.