Nio, Geely Seek Edge Over Competitors by Linking Smartphones With Cars

(Nikkei Asia) — Electric-vehicle (EV) startup Nio Inc. and fellow Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd. are betting on smartphones that integrate closely with their cars as a way to stand out in a highly competitive market.

The recently announced Nio Phone can unlock car doors and turn on the air conditioner. Its built-in Nomi artificial intelligence assistant closes the trunk on a voice command. Nomi even accepts inexact phrasing. Tell it that "I'd like to change my battery," and it searches for nearby battery-swapping stations.