Western Automakers Can't Afford To Ignore The Threat Of The New 'Made In China'

The Byton electric concept vehicle interior, with its 49-inch digital display, AI software, and high-tech cameras, was a highlight of the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. When a two-year-old Chinese startup unveiled the Byton--a high-end, artificially intelligent, fully electric sport utility vehicle that is 40 percent cheaper than a Tesla Model X--at last week's Consumer Electronics Show, it not only threw down the gauntlet in the race to develop smart electric cars. The company also signaled that Chinese manufacturing has entered a new phase. Just as China has become a global player in personal computers, solar panels, and integrated circuits to the point that the nation is among the world's largest producers, we expect China will become a major supplier in new sectors such as aerospace, smart cars, and robotics in the near future. Until now, the Chinese have been held back in these sectors in large part because of concerns over quality and safety.