Photo: Aston Martin
Aston Martin’s electric vehicle plans are shaping up. The company recently signed a partnership with a Chinese tech specialist with EV expansion plans.
The British manufacturer of luxury sports cars will unveil a Rapide S connected car at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show as part of its new tie-up with Chinese tech giant Letv. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding last week, Autocar reports.
According to Aston Martin insiders, the two companies have been talking about this partnership since the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show. As part of the new alliance, they will collaborate on research projects that range from connected car technologies to manufacturing consultation on new electric vehicles.
The first joint project is based on a Rapide S and is a “connected car” concept. This will be showcased one year after Letv has launched LeUI for Auto. The LeUI is an operating system dedicated to automotive use. According to its manufacturer, LeUI provides voice, touch and motion control along with the usual navigation, music streaming, and online radio services.
Just like Google, Letv wants its LeUI to join its products into a connected network. The company also makes smartphones and TVs, so the idea makes sense.
For those unfamiliar with Letv, the Chinese tech giant operates in Internet television services and consumer electronics. Both of these fields tend to make the companies involved really wealthy, and Aston Martin could use a collaboration with a company that isn’t afraid to spend money to make more money.
Automotive entertainment systems were recently divided by OEM and aftermarket manufacturers, but the unveiling of Android Auto, Microsoft SYNC and Apple Car Play changed how the World sees the relationship between in-car multimedia screens and smartphones.
This being said, the in-car entertainment market is entering a completely new age, when companies can use their skills to either develop aftermarket applications for those interested in retrofitting Android Auto and Apple CarPlay or create solutions for Original Equipment manufacturers.
According to Aston Martin insiders, the two companies have been talking about this partnership since the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show. As part of the new alliance, they will collaborate on research projects that range from connected car technologies to manufacturing consultation on new electric vehicles.
The first joint project is based on a Rapide S and is a “connected car” concept. This will be showcased one year after Letv has launched LeUI for Auto. The LeUI is an operating system dedicated to automotive use. According to its manufacturer, LeUI provides voice, touch and motion control along with the usual navigation, music streaming, and online radio services.
Just like Google, Letv wants its LeUI to join its products into a connected network. The company also makes smartphones and TVs, so the idea makes sense.
For those unfamiliar with Letv, the Chinese tech giant operates in Internet television services and consumer electronics. Both of these fields tend to make the companies involved really wealthy, and Aston Martin could use a collaboration with a company that isn’t afraid to spend money to make more money.
Automotive entertainment systems were recently divided by OEM and aftermarket manufacturers, but the unveiling of Android Auto, Microsoft SYNC and Apple Car Play changed how the World sees the relationship between in-car multimedia screens and smartphones.
This being said, the in-car entertainment market is entering a completely new age, when companies can use their skills to either develop aftermarket applications for those interested in retrofitting Android Auto and Apple CarPlay or create solutions for Original Equipment manufacturers.
Google News