Baidu, China’s biggest internet platform, which is often compared to Google, has revealed it will be entering the electric vehicle market following a strategic partnership with Volvo’s parent company Geely.
Baidu has a plan to establish a company to produce intelligent electric vehicles with multinational auto manufacturer Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
With its established computing might and the fact it has been testing its own Apollo autonomous driving technology for some time, Baidu will provide intelligent driving capabilities to power the passenger vehicles for the new venture, and Geely, which holds the distinction of best-selling Chinese automobile brand in past years under the Volvo and Geely brands, will contribute its expertise in automobile design and manufacturing.
The two parties will collaborate closely in vehicle manufacturing and will leverage Geely’s new Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) manufacturing platform to jointly develop the next generation of intelligent vehicles.
The new company, which will operate as an independent subsidiary of Baidu, will oversee the entire industrial chain, from vehicle design to research and development, as well as manufacturing, sales, and service
Baidu will support the company’s rapid growth with its full portfolio of core technologies, including Apollo autonomous driving, DuerOS for Apollo, and Baidu Maps. By utilizing Baidu’s leading AI technologies and its eight years of experience in the intelligent transportation field, the new company aims to reshape intelligent vehicle offerings and bring about a revolution in intelligent transportation.
Further details, such as timelines or vehicle data, are yet to be revealed.
