Lei Jun Charts Course for China's Tech Future

At China's annual Two Sessions political gathering, Xiaomi Group founder Lei Jun emerged as a leading voice on technological innovation. The entrepreneur-turned-lawmaker presented five forward-looking proposals that could redefine how we interact with machines.

The Road Ahead for Self-Driving Cars

"We're witnessing autonomous driving transition from lab experiments to mainstream reality," Lei observed. With L3 and L4 level self-driving technologies maturing rapidly, he stressed the urgent need to update road safety systems and driver certification processes.

The tech visionary proposed:

• Accelerated standardization for automotive intelligence technologies
• Modernized licensing exams that reflect new vehicle capabilities
• Policy frameworks to support safe integration of autonomous vehicles

"Traditional traffic systems weren't designed for cars that make decisions," Lei noted. "We're building the foundation for safer roads in the smart mobility era."

When Robots Leave the Lab

Lei's vision extends beyond wheels to walking machines. He predicts explosive growth in investment for "embodied intelligent" robots - machines that combine physical form with advanced AI.

While current humanoid robots remain expensive prototypes facing technical hurdles, Lei sees enormous potential:

• Manufacturing applications could dramatically reduce production costs
• Automotive plants already demonstrate their efficiency benefits
• Process stability improvements may soon overcome current limitations

The Xiaomi founder urged faster progress on engineering challenges: "These AI workers belong on factory floors, transforming how we manufacture everything from smartphones to electric vehicles."

The proposals reflect China's push toward high-tech industrialization. As Lei put it: "When cars think and robots gain practical skills, we're not just upgrading technology - we're reinventing entire industries."