Baidu, Geely Launch Autonomous Car Brand

Baidu and Geely Holdings have announced the launch of a new autonomous mobility brand, Ji Yue, in what the partners say is a “significant milestone” in their strategic partnership.

Under the new venture, Baidu will provide its expertise in smart cabins, autonomous driving and AI technologies, and integrate these into Ji Yue cars.

The flagship smart car, Ji Yue 01, will be unveiled in the last quarter of this year.

“The flagship Ji Yue 01 model aims to redefine the concept of intelligent mobility, serving the preferences of tech-oriented consumers in China for autonomous mobility solutions,” the companies said in a statement.

Beyond developing and marketing Ji Yue 01, the companies said they will also be building and developing a charging network in China to meet the rising demand for smart electric vehicles.

This is not the first vehicle collaboration between Geely and Baidu. The pair co-funded an electric vehicle venture, Jidu, in 2021 and launched a robot concept car in June 2022.

Controlled by voice recognition, the car was launched at an online press conference held on Baidu’s metaverse-themed app Xirang.