Imagine such a scene: Deep in the ocean, offshore new energy power plants collect clean energy and precisely transmit it to the city’s energy hub through high-voltage transmission and intelligent connection networks. In highly automated factories, humanoid robots build a flexible and collaborative intelligent ecosystem, capable of autonomously completing dispatch without human intervention.
On the city’s road network, advanced intelligent-assisted driving cars travel safely and smoothly, with their cabins transforming into all-scenario mobile smart spaces… … We can see that China’s industries are undergoing all-round and profound changes, with the core being a shift from scale expansion to a “qualitative leap” driven by innovation. At the same time, the “15th Five-Year Plan” clearly states that developing new quality productivity should be placed in a more prominent strategic position.
It insists on taking scientific and technological innovation as the lead and the real economy as the foundation, and accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone. The directions of intelligence and greenness emphasized in the plan are precisely the core evolution paths of the entire industry under the guidance of new quality productivity. To achieve this goal, whether it is the flexible production of advanced manufacturing or the quality improvement and efficiency enhancement in all fields of the real economy, the efficient and reliable flow of data, electricity and signals is indispensable. Behind this, there is no way to do without connection technologies like a “neural network” as the underlying support.
TE Connectivity (referred to as “TE”), a global industry technology leader, is precisely the key driver and enabler of this underlying support. Relying on cutting-edge connection technologies, TE provides core guarantees for the efficient and reliable flow of data, electricity and signals, promoting technological breakthroughs in various industries and laying a solid foundation for the interconnected future of intelligence and greenness. From the green transformation of energy, the automation upgrade of industrial scenarios, to the intelligent transformation of the travel ecosystem, TE’s innovative products and solutions have been deeply integrated into key links of the industrial chain, continuously injecting stable momentum into the high-quality development of the industry.
Energy Transition Guarding the Reliable Connection of the New Power System
Stable, efficient, and green power supply is the core element driving the intelligent transformation of all industries and the “energy cornerstone” for economic and social development. The “15th Five-Year Plan” clearly states the construction of a new power system with new energy as the main body, making the upgrade and transformation of the power system an inevitable trend.
Behind this transformation lies the extreme diversification of power station application scenarios: from centralized power stations in the Gobi Desert to distributed photovoltaic systems on commercial and industrial rooftops, and even to offshore wind farms in deep sea areas with high humidity, high salt content, and fierce waves. These complex environments pose three major challenges to power equipment: resistance to harsh conditions, rapid deployment, and easy maintenance. These challenges also converge on the “nerve endings” of power transmission – the connection system. The reliability and safety of the connection system directly determine whether clean energy can be “generated stably, transmitted smoothly, and utilized effectively”.
For instance, in the photovoltaic field, extreme conditions such as high temperatures and sandstorms in deserts, along with the demand for large-scale installations, pose significant challenges. The TESOLARLOK 2.0 photovoltaic repair connector adopts Insulation Displacement Connector (IDC) technology to achieve rapid and error-free installation. The product has successfully passed IEC or/and UL standard tests and is expected to have a service life of over 20 years in practical applications. It reduces the installation time from 2 minutes per pair for ordinary photovoltaic connectors to as fast as 30 seconds for a pair of connectors, significantly reducing costs and improving efficiency. The pain points in offshore wind power are even more prominent: in addition to the requirement for product reliability, the installation quality of medium and high-voltage products has a profound impact on equipment operation, and there is a scarcity of installation personnel with complete qualifications in the market. TE solves the problems of short window periods and high operation and maintenance costs through a full-process service of “professional supervision + certified teams + rapid repair”. From qualifications to processes, it ensures construction quality.
Industrial automation Empowering modular connection of humanoid robots
Industrial automation is accelerating towards a higher stage of “flexible intelligence”. In modern factories, the precise collaboration between robotic arms and AGVs is no longer a novelty. Humanoid robots are now integrating into automation scenarios with disruptive force, becoming a key driving force for industrial advancement. The release of the “Guiding Opinions on the Innovative Development of Humanoid Robots” by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2023 has further clarified the high-quality development direction of the industry. Compared with traditional robots, humanoid robots, with their anthropomorphic form and movement characteristics, demonstrate greater versatility in complex environments and can effectively fill the capability gaps of traditional robots in unstructured scenarios and diverse tasks.
However, the internal structure of humanoid robots is complex, with numerous joints and extremely compact space, posing strict challenges to connection technology. To balance flexibility, maintainability, and cost control, miniaturization and modularization have become the inevitable trend for their development. This requires that a single connection interface be able to achieve high-density integration and transmission of power, signals, and data within a limited space.
To address this, TE has launched customized connection solutions such as Mini I/0 connectors and Dynamic D1000 slim connectors to precisely break through the problem. These products leverage the core advantages of “miniaturization, high precision, and high reliability” and achieve multi-functional transmission through integrated design: The modular design enables quick adaptation to the integration and replacement of different functional modules, significantly enhancing the flexibility of robot research and production, and reducing subsequent maintenance costs and upgrade barriers.
Future Mobility High-speed Connectivity Ensuring Data Security for Autonomous Driving
As automotive intelligence continues to deepen, intelligent cabins and intelligent driving systems are driving the industry towards a new stage of high-quality development. At the 2025 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology clearly stated that “We will improve the policy system for intelligent connected vehicles and accelerate the formulation of relevant standards”, further establishing its position as a key engine for promoting new industrialization and developing new quality productive forces.
The upgrade in intelligence also brings new challenges: the number and resolution of in-car screens are constantly increasing, and the number and performance of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) cameras are continuously advancing, leading to an exponential increase in data transmission volume. This places extremely high requirements on the bandwidth and stability of the connection system – any data packet loss or delay could trigger system misjudgment, directly affecting driving safety. At the same time, the electronic electrical architecture is evolving from domain architecture to regional architecture, and the reverse connector integrates higher density in a limited space, further promoting the trend of miniaturization and integration of connectors. In this context, stable and high-speed data connection technology has become the “artery” ensuring the safety of intelligent driving systems.
Facing these challenges, TE relies on a complete line of high-speed and high-frequency connection products, including: differential connectors, coaxial connectors, and hybrid connectors, to provide systematic solutions for intelligent connected vehicles. At the same time, TE builds core advantages through deep local collaboration: not only actively participates in the formulation of industry standards for vehicle Ethernet; adheres to the technical strategy of “selling one generation, developing one generation, and reserving one generation”; but also ensures the consistency and high reliability of products through local automatic production lines and strict quality control systems, responding agilely to the demand for product iteration speed and customization in the Chinese market, continuously supporting the high-quality development of the industry.
Connecting the Future Driving High-Quality Industrial Transformation with Innovative Technologies
From the stable transmission of deep-sea energy, to the precise collaboration of humanoid robots in fully automated factories, and to the racing of high-level intelligent driving cars – these efficient, intelligent and green scenarios are further developing with reliable connection technologies.
Zhang Chao, the General Manager of TE China, said,
“The industrial intelligent transformation is not a solo performance, but requires the concerted efforts of the entire industry chain. TE has been deeply rooted in the Chinese market for nearly 40 years. We always believe that the value of connection lies not only in transmitting electricity, signals and data, but also in using technology and talents to ‘connect’ China’s customers and markets, and ‘connect’ the innovative forces and development opportunities. In the future, we will collaborate with industry chain partners in a more open manner to create a safer, sustainable, efficient and interconnected future.”