German automaker BMW last week announced it has agreed to establish a new R&D centre in partnership with China’s Tsinghua University, focused on developing advanced technologies in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), vehicle to everywhere (V2X) and solid-state batteries (SSBs).

Tsinghua University is based in the Chinese capital Beijing and already has technology development partnerships with Japanese automakers Toyota and Nissan.

BMW group chairman Oliver Zipse, while attending the unveiling of “The Sustainable Development and Mobility Innovation Joint Research Institute", pointed out that “China is a powerhouse for innovation and a leader in intelligent mobility development”.

BMW confirmed that the new partnership will focus its research on cutting-edge automotive technologies, including battery cell safety, SSBs, recycling, AI and vehicle-road-cloud integration. It will also help nurture new engineering talent for the company’s Chinese operations and also “foster cultural integration”.

The company plans to introduce a new generation of connected technologies, including V2X, in its Chinese-made vehicles from next year.