Audi Signs MOU with Huawei to Develop Smart Car Connected Technology

author: Manish Kharinta   

German automaker Audi has announced that it is entering a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the tech company Huawei. The luxury car maker has previously partnered with Android and announced its plans for shipping cars running the operating system. 

Audi also announced that it will work with hardware maker Nvidia to develop its automotive artificial intelligence (AI) system.

Huawei is the world's third largest smartphone manufacturer behind Samsung and Apple. The phonemaker will develop smart car technology to enable autonomous driving functions for Audi. The technology will use a faster, new LTE-V cellular standard, which is being designed specifically for automotive applications.

This deal is part of a larger agreement between China and Germany. The agreement aims to build more collaboration between the two countries. Audi and Huawei did not disclose any financial details of the deal and also refrained from disclosing details about any specifications and features that will be offered by the venture. However, Audi and Huawei did reveal that the collaboration will develop and test data connectivity, intelligent driving and digitalization of in-vehicle services.

The first batch of vehicles that feature this technology will be sold exclusively in China. 

Huawei initially focused on networking technology before becoming one of the largest handset manufacturers in the world. The company's experience in this field will aid in developing a new LTE service for Audi's vehicles, dubbed LTE-V.

Huawei stated that it aims at transforming the driving experience for consumers. The company plans on using new technological synergies between communications, information technology and the automotive industry to develop mobile connectivity solutions.

Audi was one of the first non-Chinese carmakers to test LTE-V technology last year. The services offered work on regular LTE connections, but have been tweaked to deliver optimum efficiency for vehicles on the move, instead of the traditional data communication used in smartphones. The technology is expected to offer real-time traffic conditions from video monitors at intersections and traffic light systems.

Audi, whihc is part of the Volkswagen Group, has also invested in other startups including Cubic Telecom, a company developing technology which enables cars to connect with cellular networks regardless of the country of purchase or operation. 

Audi said that it aims to enhance safety and traffic flows to develop intelligent cities and expects that its joint venture with Huawei will manage to build smart connected vehicles which will help the company achieve its objective. These vehicles will be the first to feature the latest concepts developed by the venture.

Manish Kharinta

Manish Kharinta is a automotive writer based in the Los Angeles area. He has worked for automotive industry websites TheSmokingClutch.com, CarDekho.com and CarBikeindia.com. His experience ranges from covering auto shows, to car reviews and breaking automotive news. Manish aims to bring forth his unique perspective on automotive design and technological innovations in the automotive industry.