Auto Shanghai 2015: Connected cars part of national strategy for economic development

China, with its penchant for central planning and government mandates, could be the world's biggest driving force behind the adoption of connected cars. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the parliamentary sessions in March announced the Internet Plus initiative, which aims to integrate mobile internet, cloud computing, big data and the Internet of Things with modern manufacturing such as automotive. With Beijing now strongly backing the mobile internet, the 2015 Shanghai auto show had an unprecedentedly large amount of connected car concepts and actual production models on display, particularly those by Chinese auto makers.