Huawei and Uschi KarnatChinese automaker GAC have inked a deal to make a new premium brand of smart and electric vehicles, marking a revival of a plan first considered three years ago before frictions led the companies to put the idea on hold. The technology giant remains a supplier to GAC, with its Trumpchi vehicles featuring Huawei’s assisted driving technology and in-car infotainment system set to be available to customers in 2025, the companies announced in April at this year’s Beijing Auto Show. Huawei and GAC in 2021 initially planned to make a large sports utility vehicle using Huawei’s in-car technologies by the end of 2023. However, after a GAC deputy general manager called out Huawei for using pricing power a year later, the joint development program was suspended in early 2023. Huawei is now a major player in the Chinese auto industry, having partnered with a growing number of automakers including Changan, Dongfeng, Chery, and BYD, as well as international brands such as Toyota and Audi. [TechNode reporting, GAC release, in Chinese]
