German car maker Daimler is pushing forward smart automotive tech by joining forces with Chinese software company Baidu and chip maker Qualcomm.
The companies announced their deal at the Asian edition of the consumer electronics show, CES, in Shanghai.
The first tie-up will involve integrating Baidu software in Mercedes-Benz cars sold in China, allowing drivers and passengers to access content from their smartphones on their car dashboards. The exact content or applications have not been confirmed, but the companies said it will include music and internet services.
At the show, Daimler also revealed it is working on wireless charging of smartphones and mobile devices in cars with Qualcomm. The two companies are looking into recharging electric cars without the use of cables too.
Daimler's board member for research and development, Thomas Weber, said: "It's important that we remain on the cutting edge of technology and continue to deliver unparalleled experiences to our customers.
"With this in mind, we are eager to jointly explore possible fields of future cooperation with an internationally leading tech firm like Qualcomm."
Daimler had used the European CES 2015 trade show in January to show off a fully-automated Mercedez-Benz concept car, the F 015 Luxury in Motion, but this is the first time a partnership with plans to bring products to the mass market has been announced.
The news also lends some creedence to reported from the Wall Street Journal that Daimler is entering into a partnership with BMW, Audi and Baidu to bid for Nokia's Here maps business, which is already in use in some connected car technology.
These are not the only car manufacturers exploring the field of smart automation. Last September, Ford released details about its connected car. The Mondeo features built-in pedestrian detection and Active City Stop that predicts hazards and reacts appropriately. The tech is due to be released in this year's model of the car.
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