How to deal with the 4AT "fade out" in the transmission industry

4AT (4 block hydraulic automatic transmission) may be squeezed out of the Chinese market, how should the domestic automobile transmission industry respond? On this issue, the reporter interviewed Secretary General of the China Gear Professional Association and Li Shengqi, Secretary General of China Automotive Automatic Transmission Innovation Alliance.

4AT automatic transmission

â–  Adhere to diversified technology development strategy

There has been heated debate over the technical route of auto transmissions in China.

Since 2004, for three consecutive years, the China Gear Professional Association has organized specialized teams to conduct in-depth inspections of the technologies, equipment, crafts, and related resources of the domestic auto transmission industry, and has held numerous nationwide large-scale seminars. The conclusion is: AMT (mechanical automatic transmission), CVT (continuously variable automatic transmission), DCT (double clutch automatic transmission) and AT (hydraulic automatic transmission) have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is difficult to distinguish between high and low. China should comply with international trends and implement a diversified development strategy for auto transmission technology.

Li Shengqi said: "The correctness and importance of this strategy has stood the test of time and practice. This strategy is also one of the strategies for the domestic auto transmission industry to deal with 4AT's fade-out. As long as we adhere to this strategy, we will not lose 4AT'. 'The remaining market vacancies have not been filled by the corresponding products."

â–  An emerging force is forming

Sooner or later, the state will introduce more stringent emission standards and restrictive penalties, prompting the automotive industry to accelerate product upgrades. More and more vehicle manufacturers recognize the urgency of accelerating the industrialization of automatic transmissions. FAW, Dongfeng, SAIC, GAC, BAIC, JAC, Chang'an, CNHTC and others all regard the development of DCT, AMT, and CVT as major events. Ensure low fuel consumption of the entire vehicle and ensure market position. “This has changed the situation in the past when purely independent automobile transmission companies developed automatic transmissions, and will accelerate the industrialization of our country’s own-brand auto transmissions,” said Li Shengqi.

The vehicle company that owns the engine and transmission products has the advantages of resource allocation, and can better realize the integration and optimization of the transmission and the engine, facilitating the vehicle calibration and system integration. Such a vehicle company is an emerging force to independently develop automatic transmissions. Li Shengqi said: "This new force is worthy of appreciation."

â– Gears, internal combustion engine association

It is imperative to establish a powertrain innovation alliance country to impose higher and higher standards on energy-saving and emission-reduction of automobiles, which will surely mobilize the enthusiasm of automakers and consumers to adopt automatic transmissions. This will encourage vehicle manufacturers to establish an open procurement platform, promote vehicle companies and transmission companies to strengthen cooperation, and provide opportunities for transmission companies to independently develop automatic transmissions.

“Shengrui, Chongqing Qingshan, Nanjing Afu, Shaanxi Fast, Beijing Starford, Tianjin Zhongde, and Hunan Jiangrong Yungda, etc., should take advantage of this powerful force to firmly grasp the opportunities and actively cooperate with the vehicle. Corporate cooperation, speed up independent innovation, break the market monopoly of foreign brand auto transmissions, and achieve product upgrades.” Li Shengzhi is full of confidence and expectations.

Under the same circumstances, engine companies will also strengthen cooperation with automatic transmission companies in order to achieve an integrated system matching engine and automatic transmission, and further expand energy-saving and emission reduction effects. Li Shengqi told reporters: “Recently, I communicated with the China National Internal Combustion Engine Industry Association Secretary-General Xing Min and the two parties cooperated with each other. The two associations plan to jointly establish the China Powertrain Innovation Grand Alliance. This is another powerful force that will In-depth changes have been made to the self-owned brand automatic transmission company's long-standing passive situation."