Alibaba and SAIC, one of China’s big four state-owned automakers, have collaborated to make the first internet car. The RX5 which is available for pre-order now is priced at $22,300. Company officials said that deliveries are scheduled to start in August.
The joint venture between Alibaba and SAIC started the project 2 years ago and pooled in $160 million in 50-50 venture. The car will come with a new version of Alibaba’s Yun operating system to enable the car to connect to and tap into various internet services.
RX5 comes with three LED screens and has space for up to four detachable 360 degree cameras to record video and take photos. It is always equipped with a and a smart rearview mirror.
“What we are creating is not ‘internet in the car’, but a ‘car on the internet’. This is a significant milestone in the automobile industry. Smart operating systems become the second engine of cars, while data is the new fuel. Going forward, cars will become an important platform for internet services and smart hardware innovation. We will be embracing a world where everything is closely connected,” Wang, who is chairman of Alibaba’s ‘Technology Steering Committee, said.