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Volkswagen's flagship luxury brand said on Friday it will
jointly develop navigation map data, positioning algorithms and
point-of-interest functions with China's web services provider
Baidu.
Chinese Internet companies and auto makers have been quick to
team up to start developing partly self-driving and
Internet-connected cars, following a path already trodden by
U.S. tech giants Google Inc and Apple Inc.
"We are now taking our next big step in China," Chief Executive
Rupert Stadler said at the carmaker's annual shareholder meeting
in Neckarsulm, Germany. "The virtual and real worlds are
merging."
The greater use of electronics and software in vehicles, and the
ability of cars to connect to smartphones and other devices, is
providing automakers, suppliers and technology firms with new
business opportunities.
Audi and Baidu agreed a memorandum of understanding in January
and will sign a contract on their partnership at the May 25-27
international Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Shanghai.
Ingolstadt-based Audi also said it will develop a China-specific
LTE module with Huawei [HWT.UL] to deliver fast-data
transmission for use in China, Japan and Korea.
Germany's premium carmakers Mercedes, Audi and BMW have teamed
up with private equity firm General Atlantic to increase their
firepower as they're jointly bidding for Nokia's mapping unit
HERE, two sources told Reuters on Thursday.
Separately, Audi reaffirmed it aims to increase sales
significantly this year beyond the record 1.74 million cars
achieved in 2014. This translates into growth of between five
and 9.9 percent, a spokesman said.
Stadler said the planned Q8 flagship sport-utility vehicle (SUV)
will be launched in 2019, a year after a new electric SUV will
come to market.
(Reporting by Andreas Cremer; Editing by Christoph Steitz)
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