☮ ♥ ♬ 🧑‍💻<p>“This time I spent more time in <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/Hangzhou" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Hangzhou</span></a>, the hometown of <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/Geely" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Geely</span></a>, the company that had invited me to AutoShanghai. Walking around that city of 13 million was a reminder that, when most <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/cars" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cars</span></a> are <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/electric" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>electric</span></a>, things are much more pleasant. </p><p>The <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/air" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>air</span></a> in Hangzhou is surprisingly clean, the <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/NoiseLevels" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NoiseLevels</span></a> low. You can hold a normal conversation even when walking across an open overpass over a busy intersection (though they don’t mind using their horns).</p><p>Another thing to note is the extraordinary <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/cleanliness" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cleanliness</span></a>. There is no graffiti, no vandalism, no obvious <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/homelessness" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>homelessness</span></a> or <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/poverty" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>poverty</span></a>. It feels safe, it feels thoroughly <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/modern" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>modern</span></a>. Our <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/Marriott" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Marriott</span></a> hotel, for example, had robots delivering room service. I shared a lift with one, and it chatted away the whole time, though in <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/Mandarin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Mandarin</span></a>.</p><p>Of course, all this progress and order has been achieved at a great, and many would say unacceptable, price. There are <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/cameras" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>cameras</span></a> watching something close to your every move, and people keeping the <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/score" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>score</span></a>. <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/FacialRecognition" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FacialRecognition</span></a> <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/technology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>technology</span></a> is rampant. It was a requirement to be scanned to enter <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/AutoShanghai" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AutoShanghai</span></a>.”</p><p>The (car) <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/future" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>future</span></a> isn’t the <a href="https://ioc.exchange/tags/USA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>USA</span></a>. </p><p>&lt;<a href="https://archive.md/ygHNO" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">archive.md/ygHNO</span><span class="invisible"></span></a> / &lt;<a href="https://www.afr.com/world/asia/this-is-how-far-the-chinese-car-industry-has-come-in-20-years-20250428-p5luwm" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">afr.com/world/asia/this-is-how</span><span class="invisible">-far-the-chinese-car-industry-has-come-in-20-years-20250428-p5luwm</span></a>&gt; (paywall)</p>