SAIC Audi, Alibaba Cloud to ally on digital marketing, IoV businesses

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- SAIC Audi and Alibaba Cloud signed a memorandum of cooperation on July 15 to co-work on businesses related to Uni Marketing, IoV (Internet of Vehicles), digital ecosystem, and smart logistics service, according to a post on Alibaba Cloud's Sina Weibo account.

SAIC Audi, Alibaba Cloud signing memorandum of cooperation; photo credit: SAIC Volkswagen

According to the memorandum, both parties will make joint efforts to promote the digital marketing for the automotive industry and build a smart mobility ecosystem. They will jointly explore digital marketing models for both public and private domains, and build intelligent digital marketing platforms. SAIC Audi will offer membership services and carry out marketing activities through Alibaba-owned platform like Alipay and Tmall Yangche, so as to improve users' engagement.

Moreover, the two companies will team up on IoV business. Using Tmall Genie, Alibaba's digital assistant device, SAIC Audi's car owners can get information about navigation, nearby facilities, and weather, read news, listen to music, do online shopping, and buy minutes for mobile phones  through voice commands. Besides, Tmall Genie also enables users to control smart home appliances inside a car.

Audi and Alibaba Group announced in November 2020 that they would deepen their strategic cooperation and work together on vehicle navigation system and car assistance service. The navigation system will be one of the key fields that their partnership would focus on.

Alibaba's subsidiary Amap began collaboration with Audi in 2006, providing Audi clients with navigation services.