Alibaba voice assistant introduced into BMW vehicles

The BMW Group is committed to ongoing expansion of intelligent connectivity and is constantly enhancing the digital experience for customers worldwide. To this end, BMW will become the first premium carmaker to launch Tmall Genie onto the market in China in selected BMW models.

The intelligent voice assistant from Alibaba A.I. Labs will be fully and seamlessly integrated in BMW vehicles in China. As the two companies announced at the Consumer Electronics Show 2019 in Las Vegas, the voice assistant will be available in-car to BMW customers in China by the end of 2019. The integration of the intelligent cloud-based voice control service in the Chinese market opens up a variety of in-car entertainment and shopping options for BMW drivers while on the road.

This latest move by the BMW Group follows integration of BMW Connected into Alibaba's Chinese ecosystem. It allows BMW customers who have a Tmall Genie-compatible device at home to operate vehicle functions easily and conveniently, and to call up appointments saved in the BMW Connected mobility agenda. BMW Connected was launched in China in December 2016 and is currently used by 1.5 million customers. Now the integration of Tmall Genie into BMW vehicles enables customers to access functions they are already accustomed to using at home, on the move.