Daimler CEO, Dieter Zetsche and Baidu Chairman, Robin Li. Picture by Daimler.
25 July 2018, Beijing, PRC: Daimler and the Chinese tech-giant Baidu have signed a memorandum of understanding for common projects concerning intelligent vehicles and autonomous mobility.
CEO Dieter Zetsche (Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars) spoke of a milestone working with Baidu, after Google, the second largest search engine worldwide. Baidu has already been working for years on autonomous vehicles.
In fact, Daimler was one of the first partners to join Apollo, Baidu’s open autonomous driving platform launched in April 2017, which provides a comprehensive all-in-one solution that supports major features and functions of an automated vehicle. In December 2017, Daimler became a member of the Apollo Committee, which pursues the goal of accelerating research on safer solutions in automated driving in China and promoting the drafting of related laws and regulations.
About Mercedes-Benz Research and Development China
Daimler’s local R&D efforts began in 2005 with the first localised Mercedes-Benz E‑Class. Since then, it has continued shaping mobility by developing products and services with the aim to best fit the needs of local consumers. In 2014 the Mercedes-Benz Research and Development China Center in Beijing was opened, allowing the company to better learn the needs and tastes of Chinese customers. The number of designers and engineers is now almost three times larger than in 2014. Daimler will continue to invest in local R&D, enabling the company to emphasize C.A.S.E. topics and tailor them to the Chinese market.
About Baidu
Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. Baidu aims to make a complex world simpler through technology. Baidu’s ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BIDUâ€. Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.
For further information:
