Automotive "New Four Modernisations" (CASE)

1. Definition and Conceptual Evolution

The automotive "New Four Modernisations" (often aligned with the CASE/ACES paradigm) refers to the industry consensus regarding the structural transformation and upgrading of the automotive sector towards four core pillars: Electrification, Intelligence/Autonomous Driving, Connectivity, and Shared Mobility. This concept was first mooted by SAIC Motor in 2015 during an industry seminar, initially defined as "electrification, intelligence, e-commerce, and sharing", before being refined in 2017 to "electrification, intelligence, connectivity, and sharing", which subsequently gained widespread traction across the domestic automotive sector.

An inherent progressive hierarchy underpins these four pillars: electrification serves as the physical foundational platform, connectivity acts as the communication link, intelligence represents the core technological driver, and shared mobility reflects the future trend. Together, these four directions form the overarching framework for the automotive industry's evolution from traditional mechanical engineering into "super mobile smart terminals".

2. Core Tenets and Evolutionary Logic

Electrification involves replacing conventional internal combustion engines (ICE) with traction battery packs and electric drive powertrains to drive energy transition, serving as the physical foundation of the "New Four Modernisations".

Intelligence entails integrating advanced sensors, high-compute chips, and software algorithms to enable advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving capabilities, equipping vehicles with environmental perception and autonomous decision-making capabilities as the technological core of the "New Four Modernisations".

Connectivity leverages Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) telematics to enable seamless data exchange across vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-cloud (V2C) networks, granting vehicles "beyond-line-of-sight perception" as the vital communications link of the "New Four Modernisations".

Shared Mobility represents the paradigm shift from private vehicle ownership to on-demand mobility services, optimising fleet and asset utilisation via e-hailing, car-sharing, and Robotaxi models, serving as the commercial business model extension of the "New Four Modernisations".

3. Industry Impact and Sector Perspectives

The "New Four Modernisations" is widely regarded as the most profound transformation in the automotive industry in over a century, fundamentally defined by cross-sector integration—electrification connects automotive manufacturing with energy, battery, and chemical industries; intelligence and connectivity bridge the gap with artificial intelligence (AI) and telecommunications; and shared mobility interfaces directly with urban planning and mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) sectors. Consequently, the automotive value chain has expanded significantly, blurring traditional industry boundaries.

A prevalent consensus across the industry holds that electrification constitutes the "first half of the race", while intelligence defines the "second half" , with both phases defining the core battleground for automotive competitiveness. Leading management consultancies including McKinsey have underscored that digitalisation is an indispensable prerequisite for achieving the "New Four Modernisations"—without robust digital architecture and capabilities, the "New Four Modernisations" cannot be practically realised.

4. Policy Evolution and Current Outlook

The "New Four Modernisations" framework has also undergone strategic policy realignments over time. In the "New Energy Vehicle Industry Development Plan (2021–2035)" released by the General Office of the State Council in 2020, policy directives focused explicitly on electrification, intelligence, and connectivity, with shared mobility excluded from the primary framework. Consequently, the terms "New Four Modernisations" and "New Three Modernisations" now co-exist within automotive discourse. Concurrently, several OEMs have proposed expanded frameworks—Dongfeng Motor, for instance, introduced "Lightweighting" to establish a "Five Modernisations" roadmap. Other industry stakeholders have further broadened the scope to encompass green sustainability, end-to-end digitalisation, modular standardisation, and ecosystem development.