China Merchants Testing Vehicle Technology Research Institute, the automotive technology arm of State-owned China Merchants Group, is positioning itself as a central hub for testing, innovation, and global outreach as China's car industry accelerates both domestically and overseas.

"CMVR serves a dual role as both a national-level testing and inspection authority and an industrial innovation hub in the automotive and transportation sectors," said CEO Min Zhaoyuan.

"By integrating technology, standards, and ecosystem development, we help companies advance faster and with greater confidence at home and abroad," he said.

He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with China Daily on the sidelines of the 2025 Intelligent Connected New Energy Vehicle Industry Cluster Ecosystem Conference.

CMVR hosted the two-day event from Friday to Saturday in Chongqing, where the institute is headquartered.

At the conference, CMVR, in collaboration with leading domestic universities, research institutes and automakers including Changan and Seres, unveiled 12 cutting-edge innovations covering intelligent driving, smart chassis, and connected vehicle platforms.

These initiatives showcased the vitality of the industrial cluster's innovation ecosystem, contributing to the development of a world-class intelligent and connected NEV industry cluster.

Fu Bingfeng, executive vice-president and secretary-general of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, underscored the importance of such initiatives.

Global automotive competition has evolved from single-technology battles to a test of ecosystem and cluster capabilities, said Fu.

He said CAAM will work with CMVR and partners to enhance supply chain collaboration, helping regional clusters like Chongqing upgrade continuously.

Li Jun, an academician of the China Academy of Engineering, said CMVR has made highly valuable explorations in many aspects, including intelligent vehicle safety evaluation, covering areas from human-machine interaction to network, data, and AI security.

"These results are significant for consumers, product development, industrial coordination, and regulation," said Li, also a Tsinghua University professor.

He added that leveraging multi-modal data and shared databases, along with CMVR's global reach, could enhance China's influence in international automotive standards.