This Day, That Year: July 3

Editor's note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China.

On July 3, 1985, the first China Automotive Show kicked off in Shanghai, as seen in an item from China Daily.

More than 300 automakers from 20 countries and regions, including Japan and Germany, participated in the show.

As technology advances, automakers worldwide are jumping on the virtual and augmented reality bandwagon, and bringing the technologies to auto shows.

At the Shanghai International Auto Show in April, many automakers such as Audi, Buick and Kia presented cars with VR technology.

Visitors were able to virtually experience their dream cars and take virtual test-drives by wearing a headset.

The show attracted more than 1,000 automakers from home and abroad.

Since China overtook the United States to become the world's largest car market in 2010, international automakers have been rolling out their latest products to lure customers.

As authorities tighten environmental standards to fight pollution, partially caused by a surge in the number of vehicles, global automakers are developing a series of new electric vehicles aimed at the Chinese market.

At the Shanghai show, almost all of the 100 vehicles that made their global debuts featured some form of electric power.

China has been the world's largest new energy car market since 2015.

Sales of new energy vehicles in the country accounted for half of the global total last year, and the authorities want half of the new vehicles sold in 2020 to feature some extent of automation.