The first China Auto Company Innovation Conference takes place in Anting town, Jiading district of Shanghai, on Dec 9. The Auto Company Innovation Anting Index was released at the conference. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]

The Auto Company Innovation Anting Index, a highlight of the first China Auto Company Innovation Conference, was released on Dec 9 in Anting town, Jiading district of Shanghai.

Lists of the top 10 innovative Chinese passenger vehicles, coaches, trucks, and auto parts companies were included.

"The launch of the Anting Index aims to encourage and bolster auto companies to keep pursuing innovation, and to inspire and lead auto companies to achieve effective and successful innovation," said Li Qingwen, head of the China Automobile Evaluation Research Institute.

The index also intends to turn China's auto industry into a world-leading innovator in automobile development, Li added.

The index is expected to continue to enrich its content and become more and more scientific.

Also, the index may help Anting become an auto innovation hub as well as a hot spot for transformation of the auto industry from traditional to new energy, smart, internet-connected, and shared vehicles.

Various company leaders, experts and scholars, including An Jin, chairman of Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp, Yin Mingshan, founder of Chongqing Lifan Auto Co, Zhao Fuquan, head of Tsinghua Automotive Strategy Research Institute, and Yan Shiwei, vice-chairman of the Chinese Institute of Business Administration, shared their experiences and views about auto innovation at the conference.

The auto industry is a pillar of Anting, home to Shanghai International Automobile City. Ma Chunlei, Party secretary of Jiading, said that he hoped auto professionals, auto enthusiasts, and auto innovators will gather together in Anting, Jiading, to discuss, explore, and share auto-related issues as a means of promoting the development of China's auto industry.