The journey began in the high-tech metropolis of Shenzhen, where electric mobility has long been the norm and new forms of mobility such as autonomous taxis and drones are being tested. In a workshop with partner university Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU), the students worked with SZTU teams to develop innovative mobility use cases. They received technical input from drone manufacturer CZI, among others, and at the Autotech China trade fair in Guangzhou, where the latest technologies ranging from electronics to autonomous land and air vehicles were presented.
On-site research: insights into mobility systems and urban planning
The strategic dimension of mobility development was also examined: at the Urban Planning Centre in Shenzhen, the students gained insights into China's long-term, politically influenced urban and transport planning. Based on their hypotheses, they conducted field research in various mobility systems, including autonomous subways and robot taxis in Shenzhen and Guangzhou. This showed that consistent, long-term planning enables significantly more stringent mobility concepts in China. The comparison with the historically grown city of Hong Kong at the end of the trip highlighted this difference.
The stay was sponsored by BayCHINA, the Bavarian University Centre for China. BayCHINA is a service facility for all state universities in Bavaria, which was established with the aim of strengthening academic relations between China and Bavaria.
