Daimler Working With Baidu And Qualcomm On New Auto Technology

German car maker Daimler has made a push recently to expand the capabilities of its automobiles by partnering with mobile technologies company Qualcomm Inc QCOM and Chinese web services company Baidu Inc BIDU. According to multiple reports by Reuters, owners of Daimler models, such as Mercedes-Benz, might soon have some new tech features to enjoy.

Wireless charging
Daimler’s partnership with Qualcomm has to do primarily with the development of wireless technology which would allow drivers to charge devices such as smartphones wirelessly without having to plug them in to a charger. In addition to wireless charging, Qualcomm and Daimler are looking at other ways to use 3G/4G connectivity to improve the modern in-car experience.

While charging a phone wirelessly would certainly be a useful feature for drivers, Daimler and Qualcomm said in a joint statement that they will also be exploring the possibility of wirelessly charging plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles. Limited access to charging stations and limited battery life are two shortcomings of electric cars, and finding a way to charge car batteries wirelessly could be a huge breakthrough in electric car technology.

Baidu software coming to Chinese Mercedes
Daimler’s partnership with Baidu will allow Chinese Mercedez-Benz drivers to access Baidu software from their smartphones via the dashboards of their cars. Drivers will now have easy, integrated access to music and other Internet services.

What’s next?
Daimler’s new partnerships are the latest moves in the growing global auto technology revolution. The announcement of a winner in the bidding war between Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen’s Audi for Nokia Corp’s NOK mapping business may be the next major technology news to come out of the auto industry.

“It’s important that we remain on the cutting edge of technology and continue to deliver unparalleled experiences to our customers,” Daimler board member Thomas Weber explains.