Preview of the 2026 Expressway Informatization Conference | What Exactly Should We Focus On

The annual Expressway Informatization Conference returns to Fuzhou after three years, to be held on March 26–27, 2026.

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01

Review of Previous Sessions

In terms of exhibition content, changes in the industry have been incremental year by year.

2024 Conference (Hefei) Digital transformation was still in its early stages but received strong attention, with a large number of products and solutions on display.

• The Traffic Watcher program led by the Highway Network Center showed strong momentum for nationwide rollout.
• The HarmonyOS ecosystem developed rapidly, with HarmonyOS + Expressway solutions exhibited.
• Hype around digital twins and tunnel robots cooled compared with the previous year.
• Expressway vehicle‑road coordination lost momentum.
• Smart service area solutions increased.
• Smart cloud toll stations gained popularity and triggered investment enthusiasm.
• Many radar manufacturers participated actively; competition between laser‑fusion and radar‑vision fusion became a hot topic.
• Smart capacity expansion emerged as a key theme, seen as a replacement for physical highway expansion.
• Traffic large models were a highlight, with vertical domain models shifting from dominance by internet giants to industry‑focused enterprises.

Overall, scenario‑specific solutions increased, while overly comprehensive blueprints decreased.Compared with prior years, there were fewer breakthrough innovations; most exhibits were mature solutions for pilot promotion and case summaries.

2025 Conference (Qingdao) Digital transformation maintained momentum with even higher attention and more topics.Due to frequent natural disasters and policy requirements, monitoring, early warning and emergency command rose sharply in focus.

Two key takeaways stood out:

1. The era of expressway ‘full‑scale operation’ has arrived became an industry consensus.Amid investment contraction, frequent safety incidents and policy pressure, the industry shifted focus to improving network operation safety and efficiency through digitalization.

2. AI technologies and solutions penetrated nearly all smart highway scenarios: toll stations, service areas, tunnels, etc.Multi‑modal large models and specialized AI products from multiple enterprises became the center of attention.

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02

What to Watch at This Year’s Fuzhou Conference

A useful framework: “2 + N”

The expressway informatization market is strongly policy‑driven.From tollgate cancellation, video cloud networking, early warning & emergency systems, smart expansion to data operation, policy influence has far outpaced market‑driven demand.

From this perspective, two themes will dominate:AI (Large Models) and Mobile+.

1. AI (Large Models)

On September 22, 2025,the Ministry of Transport and six other ministries jointly issued the Implementation Opinions on “AI + Transportation”.Subsequently, the Ministry compiled over 860 AI application scenarios across 6 fields into the “AI + Transportation” Scenario Panorama, and launched the Transportation Large Model Innovation and Industry Alliance.At the end of 2025, the first Comprehensive Transportation Large Model Agent Innovation & Application Competition was held.

These policies and initiatives have mobilized extensive industry‑academia‑research‑application participation in AI applications.

According to exhibitor information:

• Hebei Transport Research Institute will introduce the Taihang Transportation Intelligent Large Model and its latest applications.
• Baidu will bring OpenClaw to the expressway sector with on‑site demos.
• Zhuoshi Zhitong will launch Multi‑modal Large Model 4.0 + “Zhituo Zhuoshi” solution.
• Yuntong Intelligent will present an AI video incident detector + slope & bridge monitoring integrated solution.
• Zhejiang Gaoxin will release “Gaokan” low‑altitude traffic construction sensing & control agent + Qiao’an Cloud Inspection Agent.
• Zhilu Cloud will focus on active network management integrated with AI decision‑making.
• Xinchuang Zhongtian will demonstrate a full‑chain perception‑decision system covering toll stations, ramps, road sections, tunnels and service areas, realizing a closed loop of “Perception – Cognition – Decision – Execution” based on AI and fusion perception.

We must balance market hype and practical value for AI+Transportation.

At the 2025 competition, 629 entries were submitted, many from institutions with no prior public AI or large‑model expertise.Similar “policy‑driven bubbles” are expected at this year’s conference.

Nevertheless, AI will be an essential capability for transportation tech enterprises over the next five years and beyond.Whether through in‑house R&D or cooperation, AI‑enabled products and solutions will remain a top priority — a must‑see at this exhibition.

2. Mobile+

“Mobile+” card‑free convenient toll is currently the hottest trend.A three‑year action plan will drive substantial investment in license plate recognition, billing systems, auditing systems, gantry equipment and toll lanes.Nearly the entire industrial chain — hardware vendors, AI providers, integrators, engineering firms — will share in this opportunity.

As 2026 marks a critical year for market positioning, Mobile+ may draw even more attention than digital transformation or AI+.

Confirmed exhibitor highlights:

• Xinluwei will launch a full‑scenario, all‑weather, all‑vehicle Mobile+ card‑free solution.
• Guangzhou ETC will display Mobile+ green‑channel vehicle verification, enabling “stop‑free, second‑speed verification” via mobile positioning + LPR.
• Baidu Intelligent Cloud will release an MTC Mobile+ touchless payment solution.Yunxingyu, Yuntong Intelligent, Hikvision, Dahua and others will also launch related products.

3. N Additional Key Directions

Beyond AI+ and Mobile+, these sectors are also major highlights:

IT Application Innovation (Xinchuang) Starting 2026, government procurement grants a 20% price preference for domestic innovative products.Key systems — tolling, tunnel PLC, communications — are entering large‑scale domestic substitution.Chip, OS and database compatibility have become core competitiveness.

Exhibitors:

• Zhongkong Jiaoan: Xinchuang security applications in highway networks.
• Yunxingyu: Active trunk network management based on domestic servers + roadside OS.
• Ligong Ruixing: Full‑stack Xinchuang vehicle‑road coordination solution.Zhongchuang Software, Gansu Ziguang, Aotuo Technology and others will also showcase related solutions.A special forum on Xinchuang & Cybersecurity will be held.

 

Radar Perception

Radar is a core sensing technology and a new growth area in expressway digitalization.After years of active participation, the radar sector is becoming crowded.This exhibition may represent a final consolidation of the radar market.

Exhibitors:

• Falcon Eye: 92–94 GHz traffic millimeter‑wave radar.
• Deguanlong: Linear multi‑spectrum intelligent terminal (visible + infrared + radar), 1200m 360° coverage.
• Xiangde Information: Self‑developed phased‑array radar and full‑domain perception solutions.
• Chenggu Technology: Shared keynote on integrated communication‑sensing laser‑vision technology and cases.Jingxiong Cloud Control, Yuntong Intelligent, Ruida Zhigan, Xinchuang Zhongtian, Leifeng Technology, Huanuo Starry, Yunxingyu will also display radar solutions.

 

Low‑Altitude Transportation

Low‑altitude economy has been included in the Government Work Report for two consecutive years.Over 20 provinces have issued special policies.The Ministry of Transport is promoting 21 highway UAV application pilots.In 2026, air‑ground coordinated inspection, logistics and monitoring will become new growth engines.

Exhibitors:

• Zhejiang Gaoxin: “Gaokan” low‑altitude traffic construction sensing & control agent, closing the loop from UAV defect detection to maintenance.
• Zhuoshi Zhitong: UAV video inspection for low‑altitude economy.
• Liaoning Pan Gu: UAV integrated solution featuring “airspace self‑management + flight autonomy + data ownership”.Baidu Intelligent Cloud, Falcon Eye, Shenbang Group, Sunshine Meteorology, Changlu Technology, Zhihui Yunzhou will also present related solutions.

Transportation & Energy

Driven by the “Dual Carbon” goal, highways are transforming from energy consumers to distributed energy stations.“PV + energy storage + charging/swapping” at service areas, tunnels and interchanges is booming.Zero‑carbon gantries and wind‑solar‑storage systems will be iconic for green highways in 2026.

Exhibitors:

• Genvict: Launch zero‑carbon gantry solution at the opening ceremony.
• Kehua Data: PV inverter + energy storage for service areas.
• Yuntong Intelligent: Tunnel energy‑saving solutions.
• Qinshang Optoelectronics: Smart zero‑carbon tunnel + energy storage.Dahua, Hongjiaxing, Eaton, Changhe Shenyuan, Changhe Xintai, Shenzhen Kehua will also showcase energy solutions.

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03

Beyond the Exhibition: What Else to Follow

For a top‑tier industry conference, insights extend far beyond products.Use forums, provincial transport investment group booths and networking to monitor:

1. Expressway infrastructure digital transformationInvestment progress in 20 pilot provinces, technical standards, replicable models, and procurement preferences of owners.

2. Monitoring & early warning system investmentApplications of millimeter‑wave radar, optical fiber sensing, InSAR, BeiDou and other high‑precision technologies.

3. New technology integration & incremental marketsMaturity of AI, large models, Xinchuang, low‑altitude, transportation‑energy integration; scenario fit; commercialization models.

4. Corporate strategy & business model innovationAgainst the backdrop of the 15th Five‑Year Plan period, strategic positioning and business layout of highway informatization enterprises.

Overall, attendees should focus on:

• Policy implementation and market space for digital transformation and monitoring systems.
• Incremental opportunities from AI, low‑altitude, Xinchuang and energy integration.
• Regional market openness and competition structure.
• Enterprise shifts toward productization and service‑orientation.

 

These market‑level insights will help judge investment priorities and competitive keys in expressway informatization over the next 1–3 years.