BYD and Honor have announced a new partnership aimed at creating a seamless link between smartphones and cars. The Chinese automaker and the smartphone brand are working together to build what they call an “intelligent ecosystem,” where your phone and your car operate as a single, connected unit.
This collaboration will bring together Honor’s experience in mobile connectivity with BYD’s latest DiLink smart system. For owners of BYD’s electric vehicles, this means the technology inside their cars is about to become a lot smarter.
Digital Keys and Smarter Features
Engineers from both companies are joining forces to develop this cross-platform system, with a strong focus on artificial intelligence. Their goal is to make the interaction between car and phone as smooth and natural as possible.
One of the first changes drivers will notice is the move away from traditional car keys. The two companies are developing high-precision Bluetooth car keys, which will allow any Honor smartphone to serve as a digital key. With this feature, drivers can lock, unlock, and start their BYD vehicles without ever taking their phone out of their pocket or bag.
The partnership is also working on features that address common frustrations. For example, they are developing true app continuity. If a driver searches for directions on their phone while walking to their car, the navigation route will automatically appear on the car’s main screen once they are inside. Other planned features include screen mirroring, which will let users project their phone’s display onto the car’s screen, and a privacy mode designed to keep personal messages out of sight from passengers.
Since the partnership has only just become official, it will take some time before we can start seeing this technology in BYD cars.