Forging Ahead with Innovation: Qingdao Jidong Ushers in the “Spring” of Electronic Rearview Mirrors
March 3, 2025, 08:40
As a “Little Giant” enterprise specializing in traditional automotive rearview mirrors, Qingdao Jidong Auto Parts Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Qingdao Jidong”) has consistently refined and perfected its products over the years. It has now become a renowned manufacturer in the commercial vehicle rearview mirror sector, holding a market share of over 41% and maintaining a leading industry position for five consecutive years. Having successively entered the supply systems of customers such as BAIC, Shacman, JAC, Dongfeng, and Sinotruk, it has become a primary supplier for 24 vehicle manufacturers.
Qingdao Jidong produces over 300 varieties of traditional commercial vehicle exterior rearview mirrors, including mirror arm-type, integrated, and externally mounted types, covering medium and heavy-duty truck mirrors in the domestic market. While it could have rested on its laurels in the traditional commercial vehicle mirror sector, the implementation of the “new national standard” for automotive rearview mirrors presented Qingdao Jidong with another major opportunity.
Workers checking the operation of automatic focus-curing equipment for vehicle cameras
Rewind to 2016, at the Hannover Commercial Vehicle Show in Germany. Qingdao Jidong’s Chairman Li Guilin stood in front of a commercial vehicle for a long time, captivated by the electronic rearview mirror it was equipped with. At this world’s largest commercial vehicle show, with a history of over 120 years, Li encountered electronic rearview mirrors for the first time.
“After gathering information on foreign research into electronic rearview mirrors, the company quickly formed a team and built up technical reserves, initiating R&D for electronic rearview mirrors in 2017. This timing even preceded the national revision of the electronic rearview mirror standard, making us one of the earliest domestic companies to research this technology,” said Liu Dajian, Executive Vice General Manager of Qingdao Jidong. “Our innovation philosophy is to focus on what will be relevant five years from now. A shorter timeframe is predictable for everyone, while a longer one carries too much risk for the company’s development due to the substantial capital and resource investments required.”
However, while traditional mirrors involve the design and assembly of optical lenses and housings, electronic rearview mirrors are systems comprising cameras and monitors. This shift essentially meant Qingdao Jidong was transforming from a traditional processing enterprise into an electronic technology company, representing a significant cross-industry challenge.
“There were many difficulties, but the intelligentization and connectivity of the automotive industry are major trends. Rather than being pushed by the trend, it’s better to lead it,” Li Guilin stated. His keen business acumen made him realize, from the first encounter, that for a company to create and lead demand, it must master core competencies.
At Qingdao Jidong, Liu Dajian holds another title besides Executive Vice General Manager – Dean of the Research Institute. The institute boasts experts with over 30 years of experience in automotive rearview mirrors and interior/exterior trim R&D, as well as leaders in domestic steering system technology. “Each product line has a senior expert leading its R&D,” Liu said. Over the years, Qingdao Jidong has continuously accelerated the construction of its scientific research platforms, successively establishing the Shandong Provincial Enterprise Technology Center, Qingdao Municipal Engineering Research Center, and Qingdao Municipal Technological Innovation Center. It has also implemented industry-university-research collaboration with Jilin University Qingdao Automotive Research Institute, setting up expert workstations for Qingdao Automotive Rearview Mirror NVH Research and Qingdao Intelligent Electronic Rearview Mirrors. A strategic cooperation with Wuhan University of Technology focuses on technological innovation, building a “produce one generation, reserve one generation, research one generation” R&D system.
Liu Dajian explained that the principle of electronic rearview mirrors is simple: using cameras to capture the external environment and display it on a screen. But as safety assistance devices, product quality is paramount. “The service life of common electronic products is 3-5 years, whereas Jidong’s electronic rearview mirrors are designed for a 10-year service life,” Liu said. This stems from the overall optimization of components in their third-generation electronic rearview mirrors.
Workers performing air-tightness testing on vehicle cameras
In 2021, He Yong, with over 20 years of automotive electronics development experience, joined Qingdao Jidong as Technical Director of the Research Institute, responsible for automotive electronic product R&D. Upon starting, He immediately began enhancing the hardware of the electronic rearview mirrors. He optimized over 40 aspects, from hardware selection and circuit board design to manufacturing process control, proposing optimization strategies that significantly extended the product’s service life.
Another factor affecting product quality is the production process. In Qingdao Jidong’s intelligent rearview mirror production workshop, workers in protective suits can be seen busy on the production line through viewing windows. “Electronic rearview mirrors demand stringent production conditions; here we meet the standard of a ‘10,000-class’ cleanroom,” Liu Dajian noted. The factory has established automated PCB SMT production lines, fully automated vehicle camera assembly and testing lines, and electronic rearview mirror assembly lines. “The intelligent production lines automate and digitize the production and testing processes, greatly enhancing product consistency.”
Regarding product testing, every unit coming off the line undergoes various inspections including environmental testing, performance testing, dimensional inspection, and optical testing. Liu proudly stated, “The Jidong Testing Center represents an investment of over 50 million RMB. It can complete over 2,010 inspection and test items, and its results are recognized by international mutual recognition bodies in more than 200 countries and regions, possessing international authority and credibility.”
“We have already signed joint development agreements for electronic rearview mirrors with two domestic OEMs and have completed trial installations and user experience sessions with several others. With the implementation of the new national standard, the market share of electronic rearview mirrors will gradually increase. Our target is to achieve a market share of over 50%,” Liu Dajian expressed full confidence in the company’s future development.