BMW Partners With DeepSeek to Boost In-Car AI at Shanghai Auto Show

BMW China has announced a partnership with artificial intelligence company DeepSeek to enhance its in-car interaction systems, aiming to create emotionally intelligent vehicle interfaces.

Credit: BMW

The collaboration will integrate DeepSeek's technology into BMW's ninth-generation operating system, with rollout beginning this September in China. Models including the 5 Series long-wheelbase, electric i5, and updated X3 SUV will be among the first to feature the new system.

The upgraded system can interpret casual speech patterns and complex queries. Early demonstrations showed it parsing informal commands like "Let's go splurge downtown" to suggest shopping destinations, as well as simplifying explanations for technical topics such as black holes.

Emotional recognition capabilities are also part of the system, allowing it to adapt responses based on the user's perceived mood during multi-turn conversations.

BMW Group Chairman Oliver Zipse said AI is a key frontier for automotive innovation. By partnering with companies like DeepSeek and Alibaba, BMW aims to move beyond transactional commands to enable authentic dialogue between drivers and vehicles.

This collaboration expands BMW's growing AI ecosystem, which already includes integrations with Alibaba's language models. Zipse emphasised that BMW remains committed to maintaining its presence in China.

DeepSeek, a Chinese AI firm, builds advanced, free-to-use AI tools. Its R1 model has accelerated breakthroughs in healthcare, finance, and education, while fostering cross-border collaboration and democratising access to cutting-edge AI technology worldwide.

---

• BMW China partners with DeepSeek to enhance in-car AI

• New system launches in September on select models in China

• Technology interprets casual speech and recognises emotions

Source: CGTN