Smartphones meet electric cars: HONOR and BYD announce AI mobility alliance
HONOR and BYD have officially entered a strategic partnership to jointly develop AI-driven smart mobility solutions. The collaboration aims to integrate smartphone intelligence with electric vehicle systems, signalling a new phase of convergence between the tech and automotive industries. This deal focuses on building deep AI ecosystems, car-to-phone connectivity, and future EV platforms with shared software capabilities.
New Delhi: The smartphone and electric vehicle industries are no longer moving on parallel tracks. With HONOR and BYD signing a new strategic partnership, the lines between phone intelligence and vehicle technology are starting to blur, and the car of the future may act more like a giant smartphone on wheels. I have seen collaborations in the auto-tech sector before, but this one stands out because of the timing and the aggressive push towards AI-led driving experiences.
This is not just another tech handshake. HONOR, known for its consumer electronics and AI capabilities, is teaming up with BYD, one of the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturers, to jointly build intelligent mobility systems. Both companies have been experimenting together since 2023, but this new agreement expands their work into full-scale ecosystem development.
What HONOR and BYD plan to build
According to the partnership roadmap, the companies will focus on three major pillars that will shape the next generation of connected cars:
1. Technology integration
- Deep AI assistants built into vehicle systems
- High-precision Bluetooth car keys to replace physical fobs
- Unified phone-to-car ecosystems that enable cross-device operations
2. Unified ecosystem for drivers
- HONOR smartphones will connect directly with BYD’s DiLink infotainment system
- Drivers will be able to use their phones to monitor battery status, control climate settings or even start the vehicle remotely
- In-car content, navigation and charging will sync automatically with the phone
3. Joint product launch strategy
- The companies plan to co-launch new features in global markets
- Future BYD vehicles, including premium brands like Denza, will feature HONOR Car Connect as a built-in feature
A timeline of their growing partnership
- 2023: The journey began with NFC car keys through HONOR phones
- 2024: In-car fast charging support was added for HONOR devices
- 2025: Denza became the first brand to adopt the HONOR Car Connect platform, paving the way for deeper integration across BYD’s EV lineup
This new agreement signals the beginning of a long-term strategy rather than a one-off collaboration.
Why automobile enthusiasts should pay attention
This partnership points toward a future where car features are controlled through AI systems instead of dashboards. Imagine adjusting suspension, cabin mood lights or regenerative braking through voice commands on your phone. For automotive enthusiasts, this could mean more software-driven performance updates and personalised driving profiles that follow you from one BYD car to another.
With EVs becoming rolling computers, the competition is shifting from horsepower to software power.
What comes next
The first wave of vehicles under this partnership is expected to debut in 2026 with AI-first cockpit systems and cloud-based car intelligence. While pricing details are yet to emerge, the companies aim to make these features standard rather than premium add-ons.
Both James Li of HONOR and Wang Chuanfu of BYD stated that this collaboration is designed to build seamless mobility experiences powered by artificial intelligence and real-time connectivity. Their message is simple — the future car will not just be driven, it will be interacted with.