BeiDou Accelerates Industrial Application: Terminal Numbers to Exceed One Million Units Within the Year
Morning news on April 26: Ye Shengji, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, revealed today at the China Automotive Information Service Industry Transformation and Upgrading Conference that all sectors of the BeiDou industry are accelerating the transformation and upgrading of the automotive industry toward BeiDou-based, intelligent, and networked development. In 2013, the "Million Transformation Project" will be implemented, completing the safety verification and trial operation of one million first-generation BeiDou vehicle-mounted information service terminals. The first batch of demonstration projects will be launched in Shenzhen in August.
"Many people are asking: since I already use the mature GPS, why should I use BeiDou?" Miao Qianjun, Executive Vice President of the China Satellite Navigation and Positioning Association, explained that the BeiDou system features geostationary orbit satellites, making its signal availability far superior to GPS, especially in densely built urban areas. Second, BeiDou will provide sub-meter positioning services, which GPS cannot offer. In addition, BeiDou also provides services such as direct time synchronization.
Ye Shengji revealed that in December last year, the BeiDou satellite navigation system officially began providing passive positioning, navigation, and timing services to the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, the BeiDou system has reached 16 networked satellites, already capable of signal coverage and continuous service in China and surrounding areas; its service accuracy of around 10 meters has also reached the same level as GPS.
"At present, problems such as constraints imposed by GPS monopoly, weak industrial foundation, key core technologies awaiting breakthroughs, and potential hidden risks in information security remain prominent," Ye Shengji stated. The BeiDou system, combined with new-generation information technologies such as communications, mobile internet, and intelligent voice, greatly enhances automotive services, vehicle management, and vehicle safety, making the automobile no longer just a traditional means of transport but a brand-new consumption platform.
Ye Shengji stated that in 2012, China's automobile production and sales both exceeded 19 million units, making it the world's largest automobile producer and consumer. By 2015, BeiDou navigation is expected to achieve tens of millions of network connections and a hundred-billion-yuan industry scale; during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, it will achieve a trillion-yuan industry scale.