ZTE working with T-Mobile and AT&T on car and driving technologies

ZTE, the Chinese telecom equipment provider, is working with operators including T-Mobile and AT&T on services that will help car owners store driving information on their smartphones and give passengers in-car connectivity.

The Chinese company’s plans will enable operators to offer services including location-tracking and in-car wireless connectivity, as well as monitoring driving behaviour and the condition of their cars based on information sent to the “Cloud”, ZTE chief information officer Jane Chen told South China Morning Post at the Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona.

So-called cloud computing operations enable companies to distribute software and other digital resources online, like electricity from a power grid.

In line with ZTE’s ambition to roll-out 5G networks globally with advanced products, faster networks and processors allow technology companies to develop connected vehicle services targeted at car owners.

ZTE is also focused on Internet of Things (IoT) – the interconnection via the internet of computing devices embedded in everyday objects, enabling them to send and receive data – technologies for homes and industrial applications, as well as local government services such as automatic street lighting, Chen said.

ZTE’s “Smart City” solutions such as street lighting and car parking are used in more than 140 cities in over 40 countries around the world, as the company aims to develop its IoT business, diversifying from sales of networking equipment to telecom operators.