Anhui province will advance the integrated development of artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and transportation systems.
This direction was outlined at a press conference on "Cultivating and Developing New Quality Productive Forces in Transportation" held on the morning of July 8th. The event was organized to provide further details on the province's transportation initiatives and upcoming key tasks. Officials from the provincial departments of transport, market regulation, data resources, and science and technology were in attendance to present information and address questions.
Progress in Fostering New Quality Productive Forces
The head of the provincial transport department highlighted recent progress in cultivating new quality productive forces within the transportation sector. The focus has been on technological innovation, optimizing the allocation of resources, and fostering synergy between industries and innovation.
Accelerating Technological Breakthroughs
Key efforts include strengthening scientific research in critical areas. Notable achievements involve the construction of major infrastructure projects, such as the Yangtze-to-Huaihe River Water Diversion Project, which features record-breaking steel aqueducts and large-scale ship locks. The launch of a 3000-tonne all-electric inland container vessel and three 7000-car-capacity dual-fuel ocean-going roll-on/roll-off ships were also mentioned. Several engineering equipment items have been listed as provincial-level major technological equipment.
The application of smart transportation scenarios is being promoted. This includes the completion of intelligent highways, the addition of smart and quasi-free-flow toll stations, and the development of a smart waterway for the Yangtze-to-Huaihe project. The port in Wuhu has become the nation's first inland port to achieve blockchain-based paperless import cargo release. The province's electronic navigational chart coverage now spans 1,539 kilometers. A national first urban air traffic hub was established at Luogang Central Park, and a "low-altitude + smart maintenance" project won a top award at a regional smart transportation competition.
Efforts to stimulate innovation within the industry have led to the establishment of numerous provincial and national-level scientific innovation platforms and popular science bases. The smart transportation pilot program has yielded over 300 scientific and technological achievements.
Optimizing the Innovation Ecosystem
Work is underway to strengthen talent development and introduction. This involves promoting the integration of industry and education, supporting vocational colleges in establishing industry-education consortia, and setting up a national postdoctoral research workstation. The industry now boasts over 20,000 professionals.
Financial guarantees are being reinforced by leveraging government-bank-enterprise cooperation platforms and encouraging social capital to participate in areas like low-altitude transport infrastructure and AI-transportation applications. Key transport enterprises have seen consecutive years of growth in both R&D investment and intensity, with total industry R&D investment nearing 10 billion yuan in 2025.
Data elements are being activated through data engineering projects. Billions of data points have been collected and shared, supporting various provincial departments and regional applications. Several data projects have been recognized as exemplary cases for public data development and utilization.
Empowering Industrial Development
The province is promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. This includes the recognition of digital workshops for concrete prefabricated components and active deployment in the new energy vessel industry, which has already secured orders exceeding 15 billion yuan. Digital transformation projects for transportation infrastructure have been selected for national support lists.
Support is being provided for the growth of emerging industries. This involves refining regulations for intelligent connected vehicle road testing, supporting open-road testing on expressways, and promoting low-altitude industry development by releasing numerous airspace zones and flight routes. The provincial "AI + Transportation" action has been implemented, releasing 25 major scenario opportunities and capability announcements. A "Transportation Innovation AI Alliance" has been established.
Exploration is ongoing for future industry cultivation, particularly in applying quantum technology and hydrogen energy within transportation scenarios. Innovations include a metro system in Hefei integrating low-altitude intelligent inspection with quantum precision measurement, and the deployment of the province's first hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck alongside a new hydrogen refueling station.
Future Priorities and Key Initiatives
Moving forward, the province will deepen the cultivation of new quality productive forces in transportation. Key priorities include strengthening core technology research and major engineering applications, with a focus on integrating advanced technologies like AI and quantum tech with transport. Efforts will center on key projects such as major bridges, underwater tunnels, and smart waterways to drive technological innovation.
The province aims to deepen the integration of innovation, industry, capital, and talent chains. This involves addressing key innovation questions, fostering collaboration between educational institutions, research bodies, and enterprises, and establishing diversified investment mechanisms to channel social capital into new quality productive forces. The goal is to create high-quality datasets and promote efficient data circulation within the transport sector.
Optimizing the industrial layout of transportation is another key goal. This includes supporting the development of the modern industrial system by advancing the digital and intelligent upgrade of major cross-regional corridors like the G30 and G42 expressways. Building smart highways and charging/swapping infrastructure will support the development of intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry clusters. Active participation in building a national low-altitude collaborative operation system will expand high-quality applications. Further exploration of application scenarios for quantum technology and hydrogen energy in the industry will continue.
Focus on Talent and Standards
In response to questions, officials detailed measures for talent cultivation through industry-education-research integration. Initiatives include tailoring professional title reviews to industry needs, establishing major professional clusters in new fields, and implementing comprehensive training models. Platforms for talent utilization are being strengthened through competitions and the establishment of collaborative innovation centers and industry-education consortia.
Regarding standards, the market regulation department is improving the smart transportation standards system. This involves developing standards aligned with "AI + Transportation" development, applying standards across the lifecycle, and reforming local standard management. Efforts include clearing outdated standards and accelerating the development of new standards for areas like vehicle-road coordination and smart networks. Standard promotion and pilot project experiences are being disseminated to support high-quality transport development.
Advancing "AI+" and Integrated Energy-Transport Development
On "AI+" applications, the science and technology department highlighted a focus on scene innovation, policy support, and risk prevention. In transportation, this involves joint innovation and key technology research, as well as promoting benchmark application scenes. Future work will concentrate on core technology breakthroughs in AI for transport, driving scene innovation and application, and optimizing innovation resource guarantees.
Regarding the integration of transportation and energy networks, the transport department is systematically promoting their convergence. This includes utilizing land alongside transport infrastructure for distributed photovoltaic power generation and energy storage, and building charging and swapping stations. Significant capacity in photovoltaic power generation has been installed along highways and at ports. The promotion of new energy and clean energy transport vehicles is also a key measure, with a high proportion of new energy buses in urban public transport. Pilot projects for zero-carbon transport channels are being explored.
Enhancing Government Services
The data resources bureau is working to elevate transportation government services from "standard supply" to "demand-oriented." This is achieved by deepening integrated service packages for greater efficiency, promoting cross-regional handling for more convenience, and innovating flexible "on-demand" service models. These reforms aim to provide enterprises and the public with more efficient, flexible, and intelligent service experiences, significantly reducing processing times and required materials.
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