By Kate Yuan

China Automotive Engineering Research Institute (CAERI 中国汽研), the country’s top-tier automotive research institute in western China’s Chongqing City, signed an agreement with the Suzhou City High-tech Zone in eastern China's Jiangsu Province to locate its East China head office there, according to Jiangsu Association of Science and Technology.

Source: CAERI

The CAERI’s East China Head Office will cover about 8.1 hectares with a total investment of RMB2.14 billion ($330.8 million). It will apply to become province’s first National Quality Inspection and Testing Center for Automotive Electronic Communications and Software.

In addition, the project will include the construction of four centers on new energy vehicles, special parts and materials testing, automotive electronic communications and software, and intelligent network connection. Four major business platforms, including the new energy vehicle big data platform, will also be built.

CAERI announced this cooperation last November. “As home to the largest automobile industry cluster in China, the eastern China is a key regional market for our main business automotive technical services. The project is a very important part of our national strategy and resource integration for this service,” said the company’s announcement.

Founded in 1965, CAERI is the main base and technical support institution for product development, trial production, quality inspection, technical standards, industry research and policy consultation for China's automotive industry. It has played a pivotal role in the industry.