Selected BMW models in China will integrate Alibaba voice assistant

By ahmadzulizwan, 08 January 2019
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BMW has become the first premium automaker in China to provide full integration of local smart intelligent voice assistant AliGenie into selected models in the country. The voice assistant will be incorporated in the car by end by end of 2019.

AliGenie is a technology developed by Alibaba A.I. Labs and most notably used in the Tmall Genie smart speaker, not unlike the Amazon Echo, Google Home or Apple HomePod home speakers each running on Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri.

In this case, the total integration means that BMW Connected can be accessed by the Alibabe system and the other way around. Essentially, BMW customers with the Tmall Genie speaker at home to operate vehicle functions easily and conveniently, and to call up appointments saved in the BMW Connected mobility agenda. BMW Connected was launched in China in December 2016 and is currently used by 1.5 million customers. Now the integration of Tmall Genie into BMW vehicles enables customers to access functions on the move they are already accustomed to using at home on the move.

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This includes using the voice assistant to directly place orders online, view cinema listings, listen to their favourite music, or check for the weather, to name a few. Related information will also be displayed in text and image form on the BMW display screen. Tmall Genie only works in Mandarin language.

“With the integration of Alibabas Tmall Genie in BMW vehicles in China we are adding a digital ecosystem, which will open up new possibilities that customers can access quickly and safely from the car. This development sees BMW reaching a new milestone in China in terms of intelligent connectivity between the customer’s vehicle and their digital touchpoints.” according to Dieter May, Senior Vice President Digital Services and Products at the BMW Group.

A smartphone is not required to use the intelligent voice assistant in-car. All BMW models come with an embedded SIM card, which enables seamless integration and permanent online availability.