Gasgoo.com (Shanghai July 9) - Although Chinese mobile phone manufacturer Xiaomi has constantly denied rumors that it is working on remote driving technology, news reports hinting at just that continue to surface in the Chinese media. According to a report appearing on Beijing Business Today, a recent announcement on the State Intellectual Property Office revealed that Xiaomi has applied for a number of vehicle-related technologies, including cruise control, navigation, remote control, driving assist, safety and braking information display systems.
An analyst who wished to remain anonymous alleged that the patent applications is proof of Xiaomi’s preparation to enter the automotive industry. If true, Xiaomi may eventually follow in the footsteps of Google, which has already presented a concept for a driverless car (pictured).
This is not the first time that Xiaomi has been hinted at expanding its operations into the realm of automobiles. Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, has paid several visits to Tesla, invested in used car C2C platforms and bought shares of digital map provider Careland. According to insider sources, Xiaomi Vice President Li Wanqiang has traveled to the US specifically for the purpose of automobile technology R&D. Mr. Lei has also purportedly established an investment company to invest funds in Formula E manufacturer NEXTEV.
Xiaomi’s official response to these claims has constantly been that it currently has no plans to expand into the automotive industry, instead preferring to continue focusing on mobile phones, routers and television-related products and services.
