Chinese state-owned automaker, Dongfeng Motor Group, and technology giant Huawei Technologies Company, have announced that they plan to strengthen their collaboration in the electric vehicle (EV) segment, following a top-level meeting in Shenzhen this week.

Dongfeng Motor chairman, Yang Qing, and Huawei founder and CEO, Ren Zhengfei, met to formalize their enhanced collaboration, covering areas such as in-vehicle software platforms, advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) and AI-driven applications.

The two companies signed an initial strategic cooperation agreement last year, which provided for EVs produces under Dongfeng’s Voyah brand to feature Huawei systems from this year. A new joint “innovation laboratory” was inaugurated recently, which will be the focal point of future collaboration between the two companies.

Huawei will also assist Dongfeng in digitalizing its value chain, helping to strengthen the company’s performance by increasing the integration of its R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, marketing, and  other enterprise functions, with increased use of advanced AI systems.

Dongfeng said in a statement: “Dongfeng Motor and Huawei will collaborate in product definition, intelligent technologies and marketing, actively exploring new approaches to market-oriented operations for state-owned enterprises.”