By Jhoo Dong-chan



Hyundai Motor joins hands with Baidu in developing connected cars, aiming at gaining a competitive edge in the strategically important market through a partnership with China's largest internet service provider.



Korea's primary carmaker announced during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Asia 2017 Wednesday that it will install the Baidu MapAuto navigation system and the Duer OS Auto artificial intelligence (AI) personal assistant. The event took place at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.



With its advanced technologies in navigation mapping services and voice recognition as well as AI, Baidu has collaborated with Hyundai since 2015 when the former started to supply its smart phone connectivity platform, Car Life, to the latter.



During this year's CES Asia, the two companies showcased the Baidu MapAuto and the Duer OS Auto simultaneously operating in Hyundai Motor vehicles.



A Hyundai Motor official said a Hyundai Motor Santa Fe SUV equipped with the two information technologies will be on display during the event, giving a glimpse of the future connectivity of automobiles.



The Baidu MapAuto provides not only a navigation service but also useful information for the driver such as traffic congestion, famous restaurants and tourist attractions in real time through processing big data from the internet. It also synchronizes with a smart phone to download useful information to provide a customized driver interface in the car.



Duer OS Auto is an AI assistant with a voice recognition system for cars. Hyundai Motor vehicles will adopt it for the first time among global carmakers. Duer OS Auto makes controls not only for automotive air conditioning and infotainment systems but also self-driving and internet services.



"Hyundai Motor's efforts for a connected car will generate opportunities for a better future," said Yang Woong-chul, Hyundai Motor Group research division Vice Chairman.



"We will strengthen our partnership with Baidu to introduce a connected car that helps our customers' lives."







Baidu effect?



The business alliance with Baidu is also expected to have a favorable side effect of easing Chinese motorists' negative sentiments towards Hyundai.



After Seoul decided to deploy a U.S. anti-missile shield, Chinese drivers have shunned Korean brands, which prompted Hyundai's China sales to plunge over the past few months.



With the inauguration of the new administration in Korea last month, however, there are signs that the soured Sino-Korean relationships are back to normal.



The cooperation with China's representative high-tech company Baidu is also expected to help Hyundai regain its past popularity, watchers pointed out.



Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association and co-produced by Shanghai Intex Exhibition, the CES Asia is the premier event in the region for the consumer technology industry. It showcases the full breadth and depth of the innovation value-chain in the Asian marketplace.



A number of global major players participate in the event to grow and reinforce their brand by showcasing the latest products and technologies to consumers as well as to tech industry insiders.



