China has become the largest automobile market in the world for eight years, and therefore can form its own tendencies and partnerships. Local automakers are gradually abandoning the creation of joint ventures with foreign partners, increasingly counting on equity for further development. However, for the development of cars, Chinese auto giants prefer to lure from the West. The government of the country, meanwhile, is trying to encourage the transfer of vehicles to electric traction, and against the backdrop of global trends, China in this sense is in a rather favorable position.
As the Reuters agency explains, local "software giants", interested in creating an ecosystem for robocar , also keep pace with technological progress. Dissolving the alliance with BMW, the Chinese search monster Baidu quickly joined not only NVIDIA , but also recently secured the support of Bosch and Continental, which develop components for automotive control systems. Partners will develop not only software, but also create an ecosystem for new business models using automated vehicles. China is ready to begin selling cars with a full "autopilot" as early as 2021.
It is unlikely, of course, Baidu will independently engage in the release of "robomobiles." Most likely, the developments created in cooperation with Bosch and Continental will be licensed for use by Chinese automakers. Western companies also show a high interest in the Chinese market. Daimler and BAIC Motor Company recently agreed to modernize the production facilities of the joint venture for the production of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles, which will be sold on the Chinese market.
Bosch in China also cooperates with AutoNavi and NavInfo - cartographic services that provide car navigation systems with up-to-date information. Baidu explains that by these names the circle of its partners will not be limited, it will only expand.