LeEco teams up with auto makers to produce connected cars

Chinese tech company LeEco Holdings Co held a press conference on Wednesday to roll out its business strategy regarding connected cars and also introduced its management team to the public.


"Based on the principle of "opening up", we are keen to collaborate with the entire auto industry to rebuild the latter's eco-system," said Ding Lei, head of LeEco's car development arm. Named "SEE project", the company's auto-connected blueprint aims at becoming one of the important carriers in the process of the connecting the Internet with the Intelligence of the auto sector.


During the press meeting, three domestic auto manufacturers, including BAIC Motor, BYD and Dongfeng Motor have respectively signed cooperation agreements with LeEco for embedding the company's connected-car system -- an "ecolink" in selected products.


Being the first strategic partner among the three enterprises, BAIC Motor announced its ecolink-supported blade electric vehicle -- EU260 at the Guangzhou International Motor Show held last November.


"We'll further collaborate with LeEco in establishing an open auto eco-system," said Zhang Yong, vice general manager of BJEV, A BAIC Group subsidiary that produces new-energy vehicles. "Our cooperation will not only be limited to products and services, but also reflects our successful experiences in our respective industries," Zhang added.


Ni Kai, who is named by media as "one of the country's pioneers of driverless study", also attended the event.


Ni used to be an senior scientist of tech giant Baidu's Institute of Deep Learning and head of the company's driverless R&D team before he took the position as the vice president of the smart driving department of LeEco's auto manufacturing arm.


According to He Yi, CEO of LeEco's auto-connected system, by relying on its global innovative R&D team, the company's platform will revolutionize the traditional driving experience and provide a new business model for partners that work on the automobile supply chain.


The article transsshipment from China Daily