China Automobile Dealers Association

What China Automobile Dealers Association does

China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA, 中国汽车流通协会) is a national-level non-profit trade association founded in 1991 under the approval of China's Ministry of Civil Affairs and operating under the guidance of the Ministry of Commerce. Headquartered in Beijing, it represents approximately 30,000 auto dealers and the broader automotive distribution value chain, including used vehicle operators, auto finance and insurance providers, aftermarket parts suppliers, auto manufacturers, and a network of provincial and municipal sub-associations. CADA also serves as the secretariat for the Automotive Circulation Standardization Technical Committee (SW/TC 8), giving it statutory authority over industry-wide standardization, and has published 35+ group standards and industry guidelines covering new cars, used cars, commercial vehicles, auto finance, parts, supplies, rescue services, and trading markets.

CADA's core products are organized around five platforms: (1) a comprehensive industry data portal (data.cada.cn) producing weekly dealer inventory warning indices, monthly market analyses covering new cars, used cars, and imports; (2) vehicle authentication services including the 行认证 (XING) used-car certification system based on national standard GB/T 30323-2013, the CADA Lemon Check vehicle history lookup, and the Blue E-Station NEV battery health and residual value service; (3) a professional training academy (peixun.cada.cn) offering used-car appraiser, automotive marketing, and NEV technical courses with certification; (4) annual industry publications including the China Auto Market Yearbook; and (5) a member management system. The association operates through 20+ specialized sub-committees covering used car export, intelligent connected vehicles, aftermarket services, classic cars, brand-specific dealer groups, and finance.

CADA's revenue model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues from auto dealers, manufacturers, and related enterprises, supplemented by fees from training programs, professional certifications (e.g., RMB 5,500 per appraiser course), annual conferences and exhibitions, and the licensing and publication of industry standards. It reaches members through organized committees, regional associations, an annual industry conference attracting 3,000+ leaders, digital platforms (website, WeChat), and media partnerships with outlets such as Sina Auto and Yiche. As a non-profit, CADA does not publicly disclose revenue figures, and its funding flows through Ministry of Civil Affairs oversight as a registered social organization.

Name

China Automobile Dealers Association

Legal name

中国汽车流通协会

Website

https://cada.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) is a national non-profit trade association founded in 1991, serving China's automotive distribution industry through approximately 30,000 dealer members, standards development, certification systems, training, industry data, and government policy representation under the Ministry of Commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues collected from member enterprises including auto dealers, manufacturers, and related businesses. Members receive access to association services, industry data, training programs, and representation services.
2. Training and Education Services: Revenue from organizing professional training programs including used car appraisal certification courses, automotive marketing training, new energy vehicle technical training, and skills competition programs.
3. Event and Exhibition Services: Revenue from organizing annual industry conferences, exhibitions, and professional forums including the China Auto Distribution Industry Annual Conference.
4. Standards Development Services: Revenue from developing and publishing industry standards, technical specifications, and professional guidelines for the automotive circulation industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) is a national trade association that provides industry-wide services to automotive dealers and related enterprises. Its core offerings include industry data and market intelligence (dealer inventory warning indices, used car manager indices), used vehicle certification and authentication systems (XING Certification and CADA Lemon Check), professional training and skills competitions, national and group standards development for automotive distribution, and annual industry conferences and exhibitions. The association represents nearly 30,000 auto dealers and over 560,000 used car businesses in China.

Product overview

China Automobile Dealers Association (CADA/中国汽车流通协会) is a national-level automotive distribution industry organization that provides a comprehensive platform of interconnected services. The core offerings include: (1) a data statistics portal providing automotive market intelligence through dealer inventory warning indices, consumption indices, and used car manager indices; (2) vehicle certification and authentication services including the '行认证' (XING) used car certification system based on national standards, CADA Lemon Check vehicle history service, and Blue E-Station new energy vehicle service centers; (3) professional training and skills competition programs covering used car appraisers, automotive marketing, and vehicle maintenance; (4) industry standards development covering the entire automotive distribution value chain from new cars to used cars and after-market services; and (5) member management and information services through its digital platform. The association operates through 20+ specialized sub-committees covering areas such as used car export, intelligent connected vehicles, automotive finance, and brand-specific dealer committees for Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Porsche.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CADA Automotive Distribution Industry Statistics Data Platform
• XING Certification (行认证)
• CADA Lemon Check (CADA柠檬查)
• Blue E-Station (卫蓝e站)
• Industry Training (行业培训)
• National Automotive Distribution Industry Vocational Skills Competition
• China Auto Market Yearbook & China Auto Distribution Industry Development Report
• CADA Member Management Information System
• Standards Development (行业标准制定)
• China Auto Distribution Industry Annual Conference and Expo

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 million+ vehicle certifications through 行认证 standard system
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major and moderate.

• Spanish Automobile Dealers Association (西班牙汽车经销商协会)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024During the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, CADA President Shen Jinchun met with Spanish Automobile Dealers Association President Marta Blázquez and signed a strategic framework cooperation agreement. The partnership focuses on activity exchange and data sharing to jointly promote innovation and development in the automotive circulation industry.
• French Automobile Dealers Delegation (法国经销商代表团)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024CADA President Shen Jinchun led a delegation to exchange with French dealers during the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations. Discussions covered EV distribution models and market trends.
• Russian Automobile Dealers Association (俄罗斯汽车经销商协会)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024CADA hosted Russian Automobile Dealers Association Chairman Alexey at the China Auto Dealers Profitability Forum and Beijing Auto Show. Both parties expressed strong interest in deepening cooperation for Chinese brands in the Russian market.
• Brazilian Automobile Manufacturers Association (巴西国家汽车制造商协会)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Brazilian delegation led by ABNF President Marcio de Lima Leite visited CADA during Beijing Auto Show 2024. Discussions included Chinese brand manufacturing and dealer network establishment in Brazil, where new car annual sales reach about 2.5 million units.
• Australian Automobile Dealers Association (AADA) (澳大利亚汽车经销商协会)moderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2021AADA CEO James Voortman shared insights at CADA annual conference about manufacturer-dealer relationships and new EV sales models in Australia. AADA represents about 1,500 new car dealers operating 3,000+ dealerships across Australia.
• NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association, USA) (美国汽车经销商协会)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2020CADA maintains ongoing cooperation with NADA through regular market analysis sharing, including monthly Market Beat reports providing US dealer sentiment data and sales trends analysis for Chinese industry reference.
• Government Agencies (政府部门)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019CADA serves as the secretariat for the Automotive Circulation Standardization Technical Committee under the Ministry of Commerce, which oversees standardization work for the entire automotive circulation industry.
• Multiple International Auto AssociationsmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2013In 2013, CADA hosted delegations from USA, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, UK, and Australia at the annual conference for experience sharing and knowledge exchange on automotive distribution practices.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA): Japan's main automotive trade association, primarily representing manufacturers but covering the broader industry value chain. Comparable to CADA in its role as the authoritative national voice on automotive trade, with similar data publication and international liaison functions.
• Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA): Germany's central automotive industry association representing both manufacturers and the broader mobility ecosystem. While its scope is broader than CADA's (encompasses OEMs and suppliers), it provides a comparable model of standards-setting, industry data, and international cooperation.
• Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT): UK automotive trade association covering manufacturing, distribution, aftermarket, and mobility. Operates similar services to CADA including industry data, certification programs, and international cooperation - though with a broader manufacturing focus.

Others

• China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM): China's counterpart automotive association focused on manufacturers rather than dealers. As a domestic peer association, CAAM and CADA often collaborate on policy and standards but address different sides of the industry (production vs. circulation/retail).

Regional players

• Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM): India's apex automotive industry body covering manufacturers and dealers. Comparable in institutional role to CADA in that it serves as the primary industry data publisher and government liaison, though focused on the Indian market.
• ANFAC (Asociación Española de Fabricantes de Automóviles y Camiones): Spanish automobile manufacturers association and a confirmed CADA partner (signed strategic framework agreement in April 2024). Operates a similar national data, statistics, and policy advocacy role for the Spanish auto market.
• Plateforme Automobile (PFA) / CCFA: French automotive industry platform and the Comité des Constructeurs Français d'Automobiles. A confirmed CADA partner, sharing similar functions of industry coordination, data reporting, and bilateral cooperation with the Chinese market.

Direct peers

• National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA): The US national automobile dealer association and CADA's most direct international counterpart. Both serve as the official industry voice for franchised dealers, advocate with government, provide dealer training and certification, and operate data/statistics programs. NADA shares Market Beat reports with CADA.
• Australian Automobile Dealers Association (AADA): Australia's national dealer association representing ~1,500 dealers and 3,000+ dealerships. Direct peer to CADA - serves as the dealer lobby, runs industry data and EV sales reporting, and has formal cooperation with CADA on shared market intelligence.
• Korea Automobile Dealers Association (KADA): Korea's national automobile dealer association with an analogous role: representing domestic dealers, conducting industry surveys, publishing used car price guides, and training certification. Comparable in institutional structure and mission to CADA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about China Automobile Dealers Association