China's top maker of laser cinema projectors is turning its beams on electric vehicles, as cut-throat competition among domestic carmakers creates demand for advanced displays and new kinds of in-car entertainment to make their models stand out.

Recently, LI Yi, Chairman and CEO of Appotronics (688007.SH), introduced the Company’s operation and future development in CNBC’s interview. This is CNBC’s second interview on LI Yi following the CES exhibition in January this year.

“Electric vehicles in China becomes a consumer electronics [product]. It's similar to the cellphone industry,” said Li Yi, chairman and CEO of Appotronics, a Shenzhen-based laser display company that claims to work with major automakers.

Hundreds of Chinese companies are at the annual Consumer Electronics Show this year as entrepreneurs from that country put aside global politics to focus on business © Brendan Smialowski / AFP

Entrepreneurs struggle to retain control of their inventions

Li Yi of Appotronics discusses how the company overcomes the perception that Chinese tech poses a national security threat to the West.

From self-driving cars to artificial intelligence, what were the biggest tech developments in 2023?