They have a saying in China
to see the country's past go to the Bejing
for present to visit Shanghai and for the future
It has to be Shenzhen.
By Chinese standards Shenzhen
is a very young and futuristic metropolis
The city is positively bristles with innovation.
Just 50 years ago it was nothing but a tiny fishing village
but today hundreds
of sky create dominate the skyline
At first site, Shenzhen
may appear to be just a another densely populated Chinese metropolis
But for entrepreneurs and programmers it's a technological Mecca
It's hardly surprising that
Shenzhen is considered to be China's Silicon Valley
The whole country is rapidly growing electronics industry
is centered on city.
Every month, at least one international exhibition or
trade fair, is held here
either electronics, IT or automotive.
New enterprises sprout like mushrooms
here in the sub-tropical climate of Shenzhen
The standard of living is among the highest in the country
meaning that many foreigners and people from other Chinese cities
aspire to live here
Li Chao is twenty-eight
He's lived in Shenzhen for ten years
But is originally from a northern town called Bauwer-Zee
It was true love that drew himself
to China's silicon valley
He really loves robots
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
But Li Chao can't even imagine
life without robots today
 
The company he works for develops and produces androids
human like robots
These machines have almost everything a person has
arms, legs a torso and head
So far
The Ubtech company has built three android models  that are selling well,
and not just in China, but worldwide
Li Chao's degree is in engineering
but now, his job is to promote the robots on the open market
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Today they have yet another presentation
featuring the "Alpha One" model
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Androids don't just look like people on the outside
Ubtech has recently released a new enhanced model called "Alpha Two"
The robot doesn't just move like a person,
it communicates too.
It can study, and even help people with their work.
This is how a typical working day begins for Ubtech CEO, Zhou Jian.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Of course, not even "Alpha Two",
can fully replace a human employee.
That's not what it's for.
Ubtech android's are mainly used by children
A robot like this is seen a pretty cool toy,
because it's seems so alive,
but it can also be a great help with homework
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Many company employees were until,
recently wearing holes in the back's of their trousers
in universities lecture theaters.
Even then they could barley dream of a visual aid quite like this.
After achieving the opportunity of doing what they loved
staff members often work long hours.
Li Chao is no exception, but today he must finish early,
because of he is visiting relatives.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Robots can be fully fledged family members
and seem like real friends,
but not just for children, but for adults too.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To reach his brother's house Li Chao has to cross almost the whole city
Shenzhen is divided into eight districts.
Ubtech's office and manufacturing facilities
are in Nanshan district.
And Li Chao's relatives live in on the other side of the city
In the Pingshan residential area.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The intellectual park is a complex of futuristic skyscrapers
It could be the set of a science fiction movie.
Shenzhen is a skyward city.
It made the top ten list of mega-cities on the planet for having the most high rise buildings.
In 2011, a 600 meter one hundred floor skyscraper was built here.
But unlike in many other cities,
in Shenzhen, the glass and concrete giants don't create the impression of a concrete jungle
that crashes passes by
That's because the city is full of green areas.
There are many well maintained parks.
It's no coincidence that Shenzhen is one of the most environmentally friendly cities in China.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
One hallmark of Shenzhen
apart from the skyscrapers and parks
is motorcars
Hybrid cars in particular.
These are vehicles with two engines, petrol and electric.
Li Chao's car was developed and produced in Shenzhen by the BYD company.
And it's not just private cars.
Most of the cities police, buses and fire service vehicles are hybrids too.
Every Hybrid has been especially developed by BYD,
and commissioned by Shenzhen city authorities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The model Li Chao drives
was named after an ancient imperial dynasty. Tang
Mai Yang is one of the leading developers of this cross-over technology.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This model was launched in the market in 2015.
But creating it began back in 2007.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To solve problems like that,
a whole separate laboratory has been built a BYD.
Where new materials are studied and synthesized.
For an example, scientist here have created a special type of silicon carbide,
that conserves cold air for the electric engines cooling system.
BYD's factory is in Dapeng,
Shenzhen's most remote district.
The company is like a city in itself.
As well the administrative and manufacturing facilities,
The complex also include employees residential halls,
and a lab complex.
There's even a testing facility.
They don't just test new models here,
But old ones too.
Random cars from every batch
are given compulsory test drive under various road conditions.
Company employees use a dedicated light rail system to move around the companies sprawling grounds.
BYD has started laying out a similar light rail system in the city itself.
Pan Lina has only worked at the BYD plant for a year.
She moved to Shenzhen from the north of China to join a technical institute.
She dreams of becoming a programmer,
and manages to reconcile her work with her studies.
In the factory Pan Lina is a quality controller,
on electric engine production.
Electric engines and power cells are BYD's main signature products.
On average one charge is enough for an electric car to travel through all of Shenzhen form west to east.
That's about eighty kilometers.
There are many charging points on the company's ground
so that the people don't have to search for on in the city.
Every staff member is entitled to a discount on a BYD car.
Pan Lina hopes that one day she'll buy one too.
 
 
 
 
 
Power for the recharging points are generated by the most environmentally friendly way possible.
Solar Energy
The cars are most literally charged by the Shenzhen sun,
Which shines here for almost 365 days a year.
Almost every roof in BYD's huge production complex
is covered with solar panels.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
By 2018 Shenzhen
will boasts more the 10,00 electric car charging points.
All powered by solar energy.
The city is a perfect example of how life has changed
as a result of market reform.
It's thanks to Deng Xiaoping the architect of those economic reforms
that this mega-city was created.
Futuristic Shenzhen is very close to the Hong Kong border,
and today the city's living standards have risen even higher than its neighbor.
As recently as the early 90's
Shenzhen population was barely half a million.
But today it's thirty times more.
Nearly fifteen million
Almost every plot of land is taken up by offices
or residential buildings.
Parking for the cities' numerous cars
has become a major issue.
But Shenzhen authorities has an innovative approach to solving the problem.
Just a stone's throw from Li Chao's relative house
is a multi-story car park.
It was developed here at the chinese IT innovation hub.
The Yeefung company is quite old by Shenzhen standards
It use to make fans and industrial furnaces,
but now has been developing new generation car parks for more than ten years
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There are now Yeefung multi-level car parks in
many large office buildings, hospitals, and
close to the most popular metro stations and parks.
With a multi-level car structure,
one car takes up a third of the space needed
in a regular car park.
For a facility that could of accommodated a hundred cars
that's a big difference.
Land is in short supply in Shenzhen.
This system allows it to be used much more efficeintly
Car parks like this are no big surprise.
There are already several systems like it in the USA.
But Yeefung's unique development
is its third generation car parks are robotic.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
At last Li Chao is with his family.
His little nephew is in for a high tech surprise
Shenzhen style
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shenzhen is a skyward city of high technology
Where everyone inspires to be a builder of the future
And not just people, but robots too.
This mega-city might truly be called
the "Eighth Wonder of the World"
It always surprises its residence.
Just as one amazing robot born in China's silicon valley
brought joy to a little boy.
