<div id="readability-page-1"><div><figure><div><div><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/eJ7LscuSQx0WrvB1hkzTaQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp.com.sg/223dc3e2f1323932e5dc6037a6629203?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="768" height="512" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/eJ7LscuSQx0WrvB1hkzTaQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/afp.com.sg/223dc3e2f1323932e5dc6037a6629203"/></div></div><figcaption>Chinese car manufacturers like Xiaomi are at the forefront of integrating AI software and autonomous driving technology into their models (GREG BAKER)</figcaption></figure>The world's biggest car show opens Friday in Beijing, with hundreds of thousands of auto fans expected to descend on the Chinese capital to size up the latest sleek, teched-out models on the market.Legacy overseas brands such as Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW once dominated in China, but have lost market share in past years to domestic firms that beat them to the electric vehicle revolution and undercut them on price.Chinese manufacturers including BYD, Xiaomi and Xpeng are now also at the forefront of integrating AI software and autonomous driving technology into their EVs.The Auto China exhibition, hosted at two side-by-side venues in the capital, will span 380,000 square metres (four million square feet), according to organisers -- sprawling more than 50 football pitches.More than 1,400 vehicles from hundreds of foreign and domestic companies will be on show from Friday, when the show opens to industry professionals and the media, and later to the public from April 28 until May 3.Domestic brands are expected to fight to out-wow competition with upgrades in autonomous driving, battery charging and futuristic transportation.Xpeng -- founded just over a decade ago -- said it plans to showcase &#34;the latest progress in robotics and flying cars&#34;, as well as a new smart driving system.Foreign automakers, meanwhile, are increasingly collaborating with local companies to keep pace with technological advances.BMW has partnered with Chinese battery maker CATL, while Audi is using Huawei's driving assistance systems and Volkswagen is developing EVs together with Guangzhou-based Xpeng.- Fierce competition -This year, companies will also jostle to sell space, analysts say, with roomy SUVs' new growth area targeting customers prioritising seating and comfort.China &#34;has become a customer retention and replacement/upgrade-driven market, and these big SUVs address that need,&#34; independent analyst Lei Xing wrote in a blog this week.Firms have flooded the domestic market in recent years with trade-in schemes, offering huge discounts to customers to give up their old auto for a new one.The fierce price war led Chinese officials last year to call for tighter price monitoring and improving long-term regulation of competition.But newcomers appear unfazed, Lei wrote, naming at least eight EV brands from Chinese automakers that have cropped up over the last two years.Electric cars, which China dominates, are also getting a boost as spiralling oil prices from the Middle East war nudge drivers away from fossil-fuel powered models.Companies are vying to outlast the competition on range.Xiaomi's CEO Lei Jun recently completed a 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) road trip from Beijing to Shanghai in the new SU7 Pro electric sedan -- stopping just once to charge during the 15-hour drive.mya/dhw/cms</div></div>

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Chinese car manufacturers, including Xiaomi, BYD, and Xpeng, are set to dominate the world's largest auto show in Beijing, showcasing advancements in electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous driving technology. The Auto China exhibition will feature over 1,400 vehicles from various brands, highlighting fierce competition among domestic firms and collaborations with foreign automakers like BMW and Audi. The event runs from April 28 to May 3, with a focus on innovative features and customer preferences for spacious SUVs. The rise of EVs is further fueled by rising oil prices, prompting a shift away from fossil fuels.

- Chinese car manufacturers, including Xiaomi, BYD, and Xpeng, are leading the integration of AI and autonomous driving technology in their electric vehicles.  
- The Auto China exhibition in Beijing will showcase over 1,400 vehicles from numerous companies, reflecting the competitive landscape where domestic brands are gaining ground against traditional automakers like Volkswagen and Toyota.  
- As electric vehicle adoption rises due to high oil prices, firms are initiating aggressive trade-in schemes and innovations to attract customers, amidst calls from Chinese officials for tighter price monitoring in the face of intense competition.

Chinese EVs geared up to dominate world's biggest auto show