Alibaba drives deeper into autonomous driving market with Geely partnership in smart car systems
- Alibaba has been ‘exploring opportunities to grow’ in the smart car industry, says company chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang Yong
- Huawei, Xiaomi and ByteDance are among some of the other Chinese Big Tech companies eyeing the country’s growing EV and car technology market
Alibaba Group Holding has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with major Chinese carmaker Geely Holding to develop smart car systems, marking the e-commerce giant’s fresh efforts to gain a foothold in the autonomous driving market.
While self-driving technology has yet to be widely adopted and remains unprofitable, its vast potential has attracted investments from technology firms and carmakers.
02:22
Automated taxis now allowed on the road in Shenzhen
The new partnership between Alibaba and Geely will combine the internet company’s digital capabilities with the Chinese carmaker’s expertise in smart electric transport, Alibaba said in a statement on Thursday.
The two Hangzhou-based companies said they aim to push forward development in cloud computing and industrial internet, as well as automotive intelligence and smart travel. They also plan to deepen cooperation in digital marketing, sustainable development and other areas.
Alibaba chairman Daniel Zhang Yong said the company has been “exploring opportunities to grow in the industry”, and it hopes to “equip China’s smart car manufacturing industry with a new digital engine”.
The move is in line with Alibaba’s vision to “integrate the digital economy and real economy”. In a New Year’s message, Zhang said he chose the Chinese word jin, which means leaping forward or seeking progress, as the theme for 2023 – in contrast to ding, a word meaning holding steady or remaining calm, which he selected last year.
