Alibaba-backed Banma to build Central-China headquarters in Wuhan’s Optics Valley

Beijing (Gasgoo)- On November 24, Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone sealed a partnership with Alibaba-backed Banma Network Technology Co., Ltd. (Banma) to settle the latter’s Central-China headquarters in Wuhan’s Optics Valley area.

Signing ceremony; photo credit: Banma

Under the plan, Banma will allocate a 1.72-billion-yuan investment to establish the headquarters facility in the area. The initiative focuses on developing Banma's intelligent automotive operating system, nurturing talents in the intelligent connected vehicle field, and constructing industry-shared forward-looking research centers.

Banma has dedicated 9 years to advancing independent automotive operating systems globally. It stands out as one of the key entities worldwide, possessing fundamental technologies for both in-car operating systems and autonomous driving systems. AliOS, Banma’s operating system, boasts a codebase exceeding 200 million lines and holds over 2,500 related patents. 

Up to now, Banma has collaborated with over 30 automobile manufacturers such as SAIC Motor, FAW Group, Volkswagen, Changan Automobile, and BMW, with its intelligent automotive solutions deployed in over 3 million vehicles.

Huang Youyong, Vice President of Banma, emphasized, "A domestically produced operating system holds immense significance for building an autonomous and controllable automotive supply chain. In the context of software-defined vehicles, it becomes the decisive factor for the competition in automotive intelligence and connectivity. Leveraging Wuhan's rich talent pool and favorable policy environment, we aim for exponential growth."