Audi said on Sept 3 that it has established a technology center with SAIC Motor in Shanghai, strengthening the German automaker's local research and development capabilities for the Chinese market.

The AUDI Innovation & Technology Center will have full-vehicle development and end-to-end R&D capabilities dedicated exclusively to the AUDI brand, the electric vehicle marque jointly developed by Audi and SAIC for China.

The AITC, which will have a team of around 300, will focus on intelligent electrification technologies and the development of software-defined vehicles and AI-defined vehicles.

Its core research areas will include vehicle engineering and driving dynamics, AI-powered smart cabins, and next-generation advanced driver assistance systems tailored for Chinese premium car buyers.

"This is a historic milestone for the AUDI brand," said Fred Schulze, CEO of Audi and SAIC Cooperation and chairman of the AITC board of directors.

"The new AITC will become the innovation driver for our next generation of products. With the ADP 2.0 now in development, we are creating new product DNA tailored to this market."

Audi and SAIC plan to jointly develop four all-new AUDI models based on the next generation of the Advanced Digitized Platform, or ADP, an architecture designed for future intelligent connected vehicles.

The new models will expand the AUDI portfolio in China, with the first scheduled to launch in 2028. The brand has so far introduced two models: the E5 Sportback and the E7X.

Source: China Daily