CATL, Bosch take main halls in Beijing

Auto China 2026 opened in Beijing with battery, software and driver-assistance suppliers moved into the main halls beside car brands. (autochinashow.org) (cnevpost.com) CATL, Bosch, Huawei Qiankun and Horizon Robotics were listed in prime exhibition areas that had long been dominated by automakers. BitAuto reported that suppliers were no longer kept in separate component zones at either venue. (bitauto.hk) (autonews.gasgoo.com) The show runs from April 24 to May 3 across the China International Exhibition Center in Shunyi and the Capital International Exhibition Center. Organizers said the event covers 380,000 square meters and features 1,451 vehicles, including 181 premiere models. (autoshow.org.cn) (cnevpost.com) That layout tracks how Chinese carmaking has shifted from body design and engine hardware toward batteries, chips, operating systems and assisted-driving stacks. Gasgoo reported Huawei’s Qiankun unit took an independent booth in Shunyi separated from automakers by a single aisle. (autonews.gasgoo.com) The hall map also landed as foreign automakers try to rebuild their China position after years of lost share. The Korea Herald reported Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Chung Euisun attended the Beijing show for the first time in eight years. (koreaherald.com) Hyundai once operated six plants in China and now runs three, according to the Korea Herald. Chung’s visit came as the group tries to regain footing in the world’s largest auto market. (koreaherald.com) Chinese industry coverage treated the floor plan as evidence that suppliers now help define the product as much as the badge on the hood. BigGo Finance said Huawei’s total technical exhibition area exceeded BYD’s footprint, a sign of how much attention software and components now command at the show. (finance.biggo.com) Auto China’s own numbers show why the symbolism is landing this year. With two venues connected for the first time and 219 launch events scheduled, the Beijing show has become large enough for suppliers to compete for the same traffic as automakers. (english.news18a.com) (autoshow.org.cn) In Beijing this week, the most valuable real estate was not reserved just for car brands. It was shared with the companies selling the battery packs, chips and software that increasingly determine what a car can do. (bitauto.hk) (autonews.gasgoo.com)