China's BAIC Motor and internet giant Baidu announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this month they are joining forces to develop smart technologies for passenger vehicles.

The new partnership underscores the growing importance of self-driving technology in the global automotive sector. 

Baidu said its autonomous driving R&D division, Baidu Intelligent Vehicle Systems, initially will work with BAIC on two key projects.

The first, to be completed by mid-2017, involves developing a car driven Baidu's telematics systems. The two companies will then work together on completing the development of car that uses BAIC's limited self-driving technology by the end of the year.

The two companies plan to establish a joint R&D centre that will continue to develop smart automotive technologies. Initially, they will cooperate on level 3 autonomous driving technology, which includes the use of high-definition maps.

BAIC has worked on autonomous driving solutions for some time, while Baidu will make available its CarLife, CoDriver, and MapAuto systems to the partnership.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.