Chinese SUV maker Great Wall Motor (GWM) said it had entered into a new partnership with local social media company Douyin Group to help strengthen its intelligent connected vehicle strategy.

Douyin is known as a leading platform for short videos.

The pair plan to collaborate on development of smart cockpits for new vehicles focusing on nine key technology areas including smart driving, onboard functions, big data and cloud infrastructure.

GWM, based in Baoding, Hebei province, said the two also plan to build large scale models of next generation “intelligent” vehicle cabins which can solve problems with the help of smart digital assistants.

Smart, connect features have become a key battle ground for automakers competing in China, particularly in new energy vehicles (NEVs) which are rapidly gaining market share in the country.

Chinese automakers want to lead the world in offering high tech vehicles and are now exporting these to a growing number of markets where they are rapidly shedding their past image as manufacturers of substandard products.

GWM said in a statement: “We will work with Douyin to better understand customer demands and make the most of their user data in our products, to establish a car producing mode that is more aligned with the internet mindset."

Chairman Wei Jianjun added: “We hope the deal will help present better vehicle related experiences for users and promote the progress of China's automotive industry."

The company said global sales increased 10% to 995,353 vehicles in the first 10 months of 2023, including 247,046 units overseas.