XPENG Motors partners with China Unicom on 5G application

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- XPENG Motors and the Guangzhou branch of China Unicom, one of China’s three major telecommunication operators, forged a strategic partnership on November 12 to explore innovative applications in intelligent automobiles and transportation based on 5G technology, according to the Guangzhou-based EV startup.

The two parties will co-develop 5G-related technologies and applications in the auto and mobility fields. They also have agreed to jointly construct 5G-enabled roads for autonomous vehicle tests, and conduct 5G trials in the scenarios provided by XPENG Motors. The two sides will further develop 5G-based innovative applications of ICV (Internet-connected vehicle), autonomous driving, V2X (vehicle-to-everything) and smart mobility service.

5G technology, the core part of Internet of Everything, enables intelligent vehicles with sophisticated environment sensing and computing capabilities to communicate with other vehicles and infrastructures. Besides, the advanced network tech will greatly improve the interactive experience in in-vehicle entertainment, remote control, virtual key and high-precision navigation. 

The partnership with China Unicom marks the pioneering EV manufacturer extends its business to 5G application. Since the beginning of 2019, the startup has signed agreements with Alibaba, Xiaomi, Huami Corporation (a smartwatch maker), and TELD (a NEV charging network builder). The collaborations involve such fields as ICV, cyber security, software services and charging network.