Ford and Baidu partner up to develop smarter cars in China
Ford Motor Corporation announced on Wednesday it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Chinese internet company Baidu Inc for the development of smart connectivity in cars to benefit Chinese Ford owners.
The companies will work to develop new in-vehicle infotainment systems and digital services for Ford cars, based on DuerOS, a voice-interaction system developed by Baidu, Reuters reports.
See also:
Baidu’s iQiyi announces $2.4bn New York IPO
Baidu raises $1.9bn for its AI powered fintech arm
Ford to roll out new models in China by 2022
Peter Fleet, president of Ford Asia Pacific stated: “As part of our ‘In China, For China’ strategy, we look forward to working closely to offer smart products and solutions that can make people’s lives easier and more enjoyable.”
According to CNBC he added: “Collaborating with leading technology companies such as Baidu support our vision to become the world’s most trusted mobility company by leveraging new opportunities to build a sustainable mobility ecosystem.”
The LOI was signed at Baidu’s headquarters in Beijing with the intent to ‘explore areas of cooperation in AI, connectivity and digital marketing’.