Alibaba announces AI deal with Audi, Daimler and Volvo - Chinadaily.com.cn

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd announced three partnerships on Monday with leading carmakers on artificial intelligence-backed connected vehicle services, cementing its commitment to the auto sector. Under the cooperation, owners of Daimler, Audi and Volvo cars in China will be able to remotely access information about their vehicles, such as location, engine status and fuel checks, using Alibaba's voice assistant service. AliGenie, the AI platform powering Alibaba's iconic smart speaker Tmall Genie, enables voice enquiries that unlock doors and turn on air conditioning before the driver even reaches the car, said Chen Lijuan, head of Alibaba AI Labs, an in-house AI research unit. The tie-up will also help enrich the in-car infotainment portfolio based on Alibaba's content offerings from access to video site Youku and music streaming service Xiami. "You can check the best route via Tmall Genie at home and send that information to your car," Chen told a media event in Beijing, citing the example of turning on the car's heater in winter as soon as the owner wakes up.