Alibaba's automotive industry is making new moves. How will the upgraded AliOS and Zebra change the industry ecosystem?

On September 22, at the 2018 Hangzhou Yunqi Conference, Alibaba released the new AliOS 2.0 system and officially launched the AliOS open platform.

At the same time, Banma Network announced that it would release the new Banma Smart MARS (V3.0) version of the Internet car, and announced ten highlight features. Compared with the previous generation system, the MARS version fully integrates AI technology and realizes the continuous evolution of the interaction between cars and people.

Five Evolutions of AliOS 2.0

AliOS is an operating system developed by Alibaba for scenarios such as the Internet of Things, automobiles, new retail, and wearable devices. Based on AliOS, Banma Networks further provides Internet car solutions. AliOS focuses on the underlying operating system of smart cars, while Banma Networks is responsible for providing specific solutions for car companies.

Xie Yan, chief architect of AliOS, said that the AliOS 2.0 system has achieved breakthrough evolution in the five areas of perception, interaction, application, platform, and security, and will define the standards for the next generation of Internet cars.

New perception: A more comprehensive perception of the car, covering aspects such as the car computer and tire pressure; built based on face recognition FaceID enables personalized driving experience for each individual; it can better perceive road conditions, integrate V2X technology, and support vehicle-road collaboration.

New interaction: Building multimodal interaction based on "quick gestures", "voice + gestures" and "voice + touch" It supports multi-screen display and operation in the car: the central control screen displays the map, and the rear screen displays the music player. The two can be controlled independently, and the screen content can be shared by dragging and dropping.

New application: Provides AR navigation services, which can integrate navigation information with real scenes through road condition perception and AR technology Fusion, real-time navigation; based on the perception of human, vehicle and environmental data, real-time monitoring of driving behavior and vehicle conditions, and providing driving risk management services for enterprises and individuals.

New platform: Launching a car-oriented application development framework and an on-device machine learning reasoning framework to improve the system The application open framework includes intelligent interaction, car application development model, AI and vehicle data; the on-end reasoning framework has the advantages of high real-time performance, privacy protection, no need for networking, and has been optimized for performance in combination with hardware.

New security: comprehensively improve the safety level of Internet cars and strengthen user privacy and data security.

AliOS Open Platform

The AliOS platform opens up more than 60 underlying system-level capabilities in six categories, including cloud application development and scene intelligent perception, and simultaneously provides in-vehicle development tools and testing environments. Developers can quickly simulate more than 100 real vehicle signals such as the cockpit, headlights, and faults.

The new platform solves the problem that most developers and entrepreneurial teams lack experience in automotive scenario development and R&D environment, and provides a one-stop, full-link solution including system capability interface, application development tools, service access and distribution, and resource ecosystem sharing.

During this process, Alibaba's ecosystem will also be open to developers. Through the Taobao super account system, they can access the business scenarios of Alipay, AutoNavi, Hema, Fliggy, Cainiao, etc., as well as third-party business partners including Marriott, Starbucks, KFC, and Wanda Pictures with one click.

Unlike a single car manufacturer that opens up its car hardware interfaces, AliOS is a cross-brand industry-level operating system that has been used in multiple models of Roewe, MG, Maxus, Dongfeng Citroen, Ford, and Peugeot. The open platform not only opens up the access capabilities of car control hardware, but also helps developers quickly connect more Internet services to cars.

Through cooperation with the AliOS open platform, "Dasouche" has achieved breakthroughs in hardware (smart rearview mirror) and software applications (roadside assistance, repair appointments, maintenance reminders, one-click connection with service consultants, anti-theft warnings, and car residual value assessments), helping national auto 4S stores upgrade their customer services and enrich their marketing methods.

Relying on the space-time scene capabilities of the AliOS car operating system, "Cainiao GOGO" completed the development of the platform H5 within a week and completed the development based on the AliOS open platform CAF (CloudApp Framework) in about a month, realizing the convenient function that drivers can know whether there is any express delivery to be picked up as long as they drive into the community.

Ten highlights of Zebra MARS

The ten highlights of the Banma MARS version announced in advance are: AI scene engine, in-car karaoke system, cross-terminal teaming, all-weather map, my express, immersive music, AR assisted driving, the first in-car AI pet, exclusive personal commuting map and crazy quiz. The release time is expected to be in 2019.

The most groundbreaking feature is the launch of the AI ​​scene engine. The AI ​​scene engine is based on the deep integration of vehicle data, user data, environmental data, ecological data (Ali ecology and non-Ali ecology), traffic data, etc., and uses AI algorithms to predict consumers' next needs and services, avoiding the embarrassment of users constantly switching between apps while driving. For example, after users book movie tickets on Tao Piaopiao, the movie scene engine will be triggered. After getting in the car, the target theater will be directly recommended, and the system will also recommend movie-related playlists or original soundtracks.

In terms of exclusive personal maps, the Zebra MARS version can predict the user's intention to go to work or go home from get off work, automatically enter commuting mode, and recommend the best route. If the user has taken the route many times, the navigation will automatically enter the minimalist broadcast mode to avoid disturbing the user's enjoyment of music. When arriving at home or at work, the system will also remind the user by voice whether there is a parcel to be picked up. Behind this is the comprehensive connection between the Zebra system and Cainiao data.

With the help of the Banma WeChat applet, the cross-terminal teaming function allows non-Internet car owners to team up with Internet cars through their mobile phones, breaking through the platform boundaries. At the same time, the new version can connect to more smart devices, such as car karaoke entertainment systems, smart safety seats, etc., to enhance the overall vehicle driving experience.

Hao Fei, CEO of Zebra Networks, said that based on the prediction of the future relationship between people and cars, we have reshaped the MARS version from three dimensions: appearance, IQ and EQ. While most companies are still focusing on single-point functions, Zebra, backed by a strong account system, ecological system and technological accumulation, has achieved multi-scenario penetration, making the car an intelligent entity that can grow with users.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.