TCL Industrial’s new smart cockpit factory in Shenyang has started production, according to a report by IT Home.
The plant is operated by Yuxin Zhixing Technology (Shenyang), a joint venture between TCL Industrial and Brilliance China. It is described as TCL’s first industrial project in north-eastern China.
The factory will make automotive-grade in-car displays and smart cockpit products, including instrument screens, centre displays, front passenger screens, rear entertainment displays, roof-mounted screens and detachable rear passenger control screens.
One of the more interesting items is a removable control screen that allows rear passengers to operate functions such as air-conditioning and entertainment.
It is a small but telling example of where Chinese cabin design is heading: more screens, more touch control and more attention on rear-seat users.
The facility covers about 25,000 sq m and is planned with 10 surface-mount technology lines and 20 final assembly lines. It uses automated production equipment, robotic arms and precision inspection systems, with a claimed automation rate of more than 85%.
According to the report, one complete final assembly line can be supported by only three technicians.
For Shenyang and Liaoning province, the project is also about supply-chain localisation.
Local authorities described it as Liaoning’s first automotive smart display-screen manufacturer, filling a gap in the region’s vehicle electronics chain.
Smart cockpits are becoming a bigger part of how new cars are sold, especially in China.
TCL brings display and electronics manufacturing experience, while Brilliance China brings the local automotive link.
The dashboard is becoming one of the main battlegrounds in China’s car market, and suppliers are moving closer to the car factories that need them.
