Baidu to tie up on tech for self-driving

Source: Xinhua | 2017-06-01

GERMAN car parts supplier Continental and Chinese Internet giant Baidu will collaborate on technology for self-driving and connected cars, the two firms said yesterday.

“Both partners intend to develop technologies, products and business models... for automated driving, connected vehicles and intelligent mobility services,” the firm said in a statement, as Premier Li Keqiang was due to arrive in the German capital later yesterday.

Continental is one of the world’s largest auto parts suppliers, while Baidu — known as the “Chinese Google” — boasts technologies embracing search, social networking and artificial intelligence.

The two groups plan to put their heads together on sensors and software, AI, cybersecurity and connected cars, as well as collecting and analysing data from road tests of automated cars.

“With our strategic collaboration, we will take intelligent mobility an important step further,” Continental chief executive Elmar Degenhart said in the statement.

Both technology firms and traditional carmakers are scrambling to develop automated cars.