Alibaba-backed IoV solution provider Banma announces end of restructuring with AliOS

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Banma Network Technology (Banma), an Internet car solution provider formed by Alibaba Group and SAIC Motor, recently announced it has completed the strategic restructuring with AliOS, an Alibaba-developed operating system (OS) whose slogan is drive everything smart.

At Banma's first board meeting of 2020, Zhang Chunhui, former president at Alibaba's OS Business Group, was named Banma's co-chief executive officer (co-CEO). The company said it will keep increasing the investments in R&D of automotive smart OS and AI technologies.

“Banma will integrate and make full use of shareholders' resources and capabilities,” said Banma's chairman Zhang Jianfeng, “Alibaba DAMO Academy, Pingtouge (Alibaba's semiconductor subsidiary) and Tmall Genie (Alibaba's smart speaker) will be entirely supportive of Banma's improvements in products, technologies and other abilities, in a bid to help us develop the next-generation intelligent vehicle OS.”

(Photo source: Banma)

The appointment of the co-CEO is to swiftly integrate and coordinate the advantageous resources of consumer Internet of Things from Alibaba and of industrial Internet of Things from SAIC Motor for the sake of Banma's quicker and better development.

Upon completion of the strategic restructuring, AliOS will inject its complete technical system and core technology talents into Banma. Cheng Li, Huang Youyong, Xia Lian, Xu Qiang and Xiao Ruizhe, who were previously been responsible for the operation of AliOS, have joined Banma, assuming core management positions such as CMO, COO and CFO.

Banma is about to initiate a new round of fundraising for the purpose of developing the future-proofing smart automotive OS.

On August 28, 2019, Alibaba and SAIC Motor struck a deal to step up their strategic cooperation with restructuring Banma as one of missions.

Per the deal, the entire intellectual property and businesses of YunOS would be injected to Banma, making the startup wholly own YunOS' underlying infrastructure & code and get the right to use it. Meanwhile, Banma was allowed to authorize eligible automobile brands and designated partners to use the technology.

The Roewe RX5 MAX equipped with all-new Banma system hit the market on the same day. Before that, the Banma system had been applied in models from multiple car brands, such as MG, MAXUS, Dongfeng-Citroen, Changan Ford, Qoros, Baojun and Skoda.