Roewe RX5
If you’re a frequent internet shopper,
you’ve probably heard of Alibaba. From power banks to clothing, the e-commerce
company sells a wide range of products, and will now enter the automobile
industry with its first “internet car” – it has installed its internet-connected
OS in the new Roewe RX5.
The main highlight of the SUV is in the
cabin, where the RX5 uses Alibaba’s OS’Car technology, utilising the YunOS
operating system that is also used in other smart home appliances, including refrigerators,
air conditioners and robotic vacuum cleaners. Alibaba says that the operating
system would not be a closed system but rather would be open to other companies
to deliver their own services through the RX5’s operating system.
Alibaba is aiming to connect all
vehicles to the internet of things (IoT) ecosystem, where they can share data
to create better experiences for users. The RX5 will allow drivers to use the
company’s e-commerce ecosystem to deliver various services. For example,
drivers can book and pay for parking spaces, gas stations and coffee shops
using Alipay.
Additionally, the RX5 will save a unique
“internet ID” for each driver that enters the vehicle, allowing the system to
provide recommendations (music, air temperature or restaurants) based on
previous trips. Other features include voice control and navigation features,
three LED screens for interfacing with the OS and 360-degree detachable cameras
for recording trips and selfies.
“The difference between an internet car
and a traditional car is that connected smart operating systems like YunOS will
improve the consumer experience beyond just driving. Smart operating systems
become the second engine of cars, while data is the new fuel,” said Dr. Wang
Jian, chairman of Alibaba’s Technology Steering Committee.
“Our vision is to enable
Internet-connected cars to become the largest open platform capable of
incorporating all kind of services, both from YunOS or third-party developers.
In the future, we hope Internet-connected cars to be a solid foundation for the
development of smarter transportation and smarter cities,” he added.
