Tencent and MINI Teaming Up to Bring WeChat Software to Cars
Tencent Holdings Ltd. is currently one of the largest software company conglomerates that currently exist. With their headquarters located in China, they have dipped their hands into the social media, video game, and music industries. Following various collaborations with companies such as Nintendo and Spotify, Tencent has become one of the most profitable companies in the 21st century. Now, their sights are set to extend their expertise to the automotive industry, specifically with BMW’s upcoming MINI line.
Tencent’s WeChat marks a bright future for MINI’s personal software
In what is currently being dubbed the “Tencent MINI scenario,” this collaboration will bring both companies together to provide the innovate WeChat application to automobiles. Supporting voice commands, WeChat (which launches first in China later this year) will be a cloud-based service which ensures a comprehensive and comfortable experience with the onboard software. Touted as an “app for everything” WeChat has a wide range of functions that aims to encompass a user’s mobile payments, messaging services, and social media platforms. The app also features content with detailed information for local eateries, entertainment venues, and will keep users updated with a global news service.
This is an exciting move for MINI owners, as the functionality of the vehicles (on the software side) will be much more comprehensive when compared to the competition. MINI and Tencent will set themselves apart with the implementation of this “app for everything” and provide a unique technological experience that will be entirely hands-free.
Marking the next chapter in a long-withstanding collaboration
This is not the first time that Tencent and BMW have worked together. In 2019, the two companies struck a deal to open a computing center that would aid the development of the automobile manufacturer’s self-driving technology. This center provides data-crunching operations that are currently enriching the autonomous vehicle software which BMW is striving to implement in future vehicles.
While the future of MINI software is in evidently good hands with Tencent, be sure to read about the upcoming 2021 lineup of vehicles which mark the return of manual transmission. Also, if you’re in the Ottawa area and you’re in the need of a new vehicle, consider browsing MINI Ottawa’s selection of new or used vehicles.