VW joins forces with vivo to forge the future of car-smartphone symbiosis

In a significant stride towards enhancing the synergy between automobiles and smartphones, Volkswagen's software entity, Cariad, has joined forces with Chinese phone maker vivo to push the boundaries of vehicle-smartphone integration. This alliance heralds a new chapter in the growing electric vehicle market, where digital convenience is fast becoming as prized as horsepower once was.

Cariad and vivo created the Mobile & Mobility Fusion Joint Innovative Lab (M2 Lab) to bring the seamlessness of smartphone usage to smart cars.

M2 Lab aims to pioneer software and hardware solutions geared towards intelligent connected vehicles and smart mobility services.

This partnership has already yielded tangible results with the launch of 'Gamebase' - which lets you use your phone to play games on the infotainment screen of you car. There's also the 'Touch&Go' app that lets you monitor and remotely operate some of your vehicle's functions.

This merger of mobility and mobile tech is a nature next step in our increasingly connected environment. With VW's well documented struggles on the software side it's understandable for the company to turn to experts in designing a fluid and responsive UI in the smartphone world.

This trend is gaining traction, with consumer appetite for seamless integration between their smart devices and EVs growing voraciously. It's compelling enough that some automakers are crossing industry lines, venturing into smartphone production. Nio, an electric car manufacturer, recently unveiled the Nio Phone with robust integration with its car fleet, demonstrating the growing affinity for a unified tech ecosystem. Meanwhile, Polestar is teasing tech and EV aficionados alike with the promise of its own high-end smartphone, indicative of a larger trend.

This VW-vivo partnership emerges at a pivotal moment. Automakers are not just selling cars anymore - they are increasingly moving towards providing another element of your digital experience. A fact the German maker realizes too well as it postponed the much-awaited electric Porsche Macan due to unpolished software.

Cariad can be squarely blamed for the miserable experience of current Volkswagen vehicle owners and even the latest efforts to improve the software seem to be falling short of expectations, judging by the VW’s falling sales numbers. Will vivo be the knight in shining armor that VW so desperately needs?

Via