Event Recap | Kevin Liu, Carlinx CTO, at 2026 MWC: Vehicle-Cloud Foundation Enables Exported Cars to Be More Experiential, Operable, and Trusted

The 2026 Shanghai World Mobile Communications Congress (2026MWC) recently concluded at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, showcasing the latest technological achievements and industry directions in mobile communications and technology. Global industry leaders, technical experts, and policy representatives gathered to share insights, spark ideas, and co-create directions for AI and connectivity technologies empowering future smart mobility.

Kevin Liu, CTO of Carlinx, was invited to attend the Smart Mobility Summit and participate in the panel discussion "Empowering the Growth of Intelligent Connected Vehicles: A New Model for Global Win-Win Cooperation." Together with industry representatives from Great Wall Motors and Telenor, he explored new industry landscapes and opportunities for automotive globalization in the context of AI-powered intelligent connected vehicles.

The following is an excerpt from his speech:

Chinese automakers have done their homework on compliance and technology, yet overseas market acceptance remains lukewarm. Why? The answer lies in another number: the renewal rate for vehicle connectivity data plans in overseas markets has long hovered around 10%.

This points to a fundamental paradox: true globalization is not about shipping cars across borders—it's about making them "stay alive" abroad. Connected, evolvable, remotely operable—these are the starting points of a sustainable business model, and also the weakest link today. The disappointing renewal rate reveals that the value of connected vehicles in overseas scenarios has yet to be fully realized.

Where does the problem lie? A frequently overlooked reality: China's technical solutions cannot be directly replicated overseas. C-V2X spectrum resources, roadside infrastructure density, and high-definition map collection permits vary from country to country. Forcing China's full-stack "vehicle-road-cloud" collaboration model abroad is both extremely costly and carries significant policy risks.

Carlinx's approach: bet on the vehicle, not the roadside. We propose a "tailorable digital adaptation layer," built on two core principles:

First, transform "roadside dependence" into "edge intelligence." China's domestic architecture is a three-tier "vehicle-road-cloud" model with highly intelligent roadside infrastructure. But in many overseas markets, roadside infrastructure falls short. Carlinx has shifted the perception, fusion, and decision-making capabilities that would otherwise require roadside infrastructure—into a lightweight AI unit on the vehicle. No RSU to tell you about traffic ahead? The vehicle uses "swarm intelligence" across vehicles—inferring road anomalies locally based on time-series data such as braking and steering from preceding vehicles. Software algorithms replace hardware infrastructure.

Second, replace "full upload to the cloud" with "on-demand upload." High network costs and poor coverage overseas make it impossible to replicate China's approach. Through flexible vehicle-cloud orchestration, we only wake up connectivity at critical moments—pre-caching offline maps and key functions before the vehicle enters areas with no signal, and syncing later when signal is restored and compliant. The user experience remains seamless, while data transmission is "resumable."

For B-end customers, our Hyper Fleet platform provides one-stop capabilities—from vehicle status monitoring, remote diagnostics, and driving trajectory analysis to compliance report generation—helping overseas leasing companies and logistics operators reduce operational costs and improve efficiency. The logic is straightforward: when data delivers a tangible ROI, renewal ceases to be an expense and becomes an investment.

Fundamentally, we are not replicating a Chinese "vehicle-road-cloud" model abroad. Instead, we package China's accumulated expertise in vehicle-side algorithms and massive data training into a lightweight, configurable software stack—adapting to varying information infrastructure levels globally. What we export is a capability framework and operational philosophy, not a rigid technology stack. This flexibility is the real confidence behind "copying without distortion."

Globalization has no finish line, but it has a destination: ensuring that every Chinese-made vehicle on foreign roads is seen, managed, and trusted.

As advanced connectivity technologies and software-defined architectures continue to evolve, and AI applications accelerate their deployment, the Smart Mobility Summit has charted a clear technological upgrade path for the intelligent connected vehicle industry.

Carlinx will continue to deepen its expertise in AI and connectivity technologies for vehicle globalization scenarios, working with global ecosystem partners to advance smart mobility into a new phase of "intelligent connectivity"—making every mile more valuable.