Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is working with SAIC Volkswagen to provide a vehicle-mounted smart system that enables users to control their home appliances while inside their cars.

The smart home system, which is powered by JD Whale, the company’s internet of things platform, will be available to owners of the SAIC Volkswagen Passat and other car models this year, allowing them to control their home appliances including air conditioners, lights and curtains from their cars through voice commands or in-car touch screens, JD.com said in a statement on Wednesday.

Currently, JD.com's internet of things platform is used by some 25 million households in China, allowing them to control home devices and make purchases through voice commands, the company said.

Connecting smart devices with internet-enabled vehicles has become a key trend in the internet of things. Last year, Alibaba integrated its smart speaker Tmall Genie with new connected cars made by Audi, Renault and Honda to provide car owners with voice-controlled services such as online shopping on its e-commerce sites.

Contact reporter Ding Yi (yiding@caixin.com)

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