Core Insights - The fourth "Automotive Environmental Innovation Leading Program" has successfully completed its project solicitation, attracting 41 project proposals from 26 universities and research institutions across 12 provinces, marking a 30% increase year-on-year [1] - The program aligns with China's "dual carbon" goals, focusing on low-carbon transformation in the automotive industry, which is experiencing accelerated development following the State Council's energy-saving and carbon reduction action plan released in May 2024 [3] - The program will expand its funding areas to include low-carbon, green energy, intelligence, and AI empowerment, aiming to accelerate the incubation and efficient transformation of key research topics [3] Industry and Company Developments - The program emphasizes the importance of academic and industrial collaboration, aiming to bridge the gap between academic research and industry practices, addressing critical bottlenecks in automotive environmental technology [4] - A total of 275,000 yuan will be allocated as "seed funding" to empower low-carbon development in the automotive industry [4] - The initiative has previously selected and funded 42 projects with a total funding exceeding 13 million yuan, aiming to influence and guide societal investment in automotive environmental technology [5]