KUALA LUMPUR: The government is expected to announce the revised National Automotive Policy (NAP) in the first quarter next year.
International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Dr Ong Kian Ming said the revised policy will oversee the entire automotive ecosystem, underpinned by four pillars – connected mobility, Industrial Revolution 4.0, artificial intelligence and the next generation vehicle.
“It is normal for every blueprint to be revised once in a while. The 2014 NAP review was mostly focused on energy efficient vehicles, including combustion engine vehicles and a bit of hybrid technology.
“Right now, we have new (automotive) technologies coming in, including the possibility of self-driving cars, rapid advancement of electric vehicles as well as the necessary ecosystem such as batteries and charging stations,” he told reporters after officiating the Kuala Lumpur International Automotive Conference (KLIAC) 2018 here, yesterday.
Ong said the revised policy would also include the development of the third national car project.
“We have received over 20 proposals from individuals, the private sector and government-linked companies at the moment.
“In order to make a fair, transparent and comprehensive choice, my ministry has developed a matrix to analyse and evaluate these proposals,” he said.
He added that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad envisioned that the third national car would utilise advanced technologies to gain global market share.
Ideally, Ong said the third national car would conform to Euro-6 or at least to Euro-5 emission standards, adding that the government has approached Japanese automakers, including Nissan and Toyota, for assistance.
Themed “Beyond Mobility: Moving Sustainably”, the two-day conference is a platform where industry experts and leading players convene to exchange views concerning the industry and ecosystem roadmap beyond 2025. –Bernama
