What is it like to have a smart car?

A smart car in the future will give you information proactively.[from IC]

A smart car in the future will not only provide you the best route, but also tell you some information that you may not be prepared to know. For example, your friends are having dinner in the corner and the car would ask you if you want to join them or not.  

Now Chinese carmakers are stepping up efforts to develop smart and connected cars, with the conviction that vehicles of the future should be more than just the tools of transport that they were in the past.

Chongqing Changan Automobile Co announced last week that all its vehicles produced starting from 2020 will have access to the internet-the most ambitious plan made by any Chinese carmaker in terms of connectivity.

Among other things, the vehicles will have their software updated online and problems diagnosed remotely, and by 2025, all of Changan's vehicles will feature voice control, according to the Chongqing-headquartered carmaker.

The strategy was unveiled months after Changan partnered with Chinese tech giants, including Tencent Holdings Co and Huawei Technologies Co, to develop its vehicle operating systems.

Changan was also one of the first Chinese carmakers to test autonomous driving, with its fleet of Level 3, or hands-off, cars, finishing a 2,000-kilometer test in China back in 2016. It has also obtained a license to test its vehicles in the United States.

Click and take a listen to the discussion. The hosts are Liu Min and Tony Reid from Studio+, a daily talk show produced by China Plus.