If It’s Only a Matter of Time Before AI Systems Enter Our Cars, Nissan and DeepSeek Are Getting Ahead of the Curve

The adoption of DeepSeek, the new Chinese reference in AI models, is moving much faster than ChatGPT’s. Smartphone makers like Honor and Nubia are already integrating it natively into their devices.

Electric car companies such as BYD are also adopting this AI model. This company has signed agreements to improve its autonomous driving system with DeepSeek technology. Following their lead, Nissan is the first Japanese manufacturer to bet on this open source model for deeper interface integration.

A plan similar to BYD’s. Recently, BYD’s plans to integrate DeepSeek into its research and development pipeline came to light. The agreement focuses on implementing an advanced autonomous driving system for high-end and more affordable vehicles.

Beyond autonomous driving, manufacturers are proposing improvements to vehicle software itself with this AI system. That’s precisely what Nissan recently announced.

The company revealed that its new electric sedan, the Nissan N7—a joint venture with Dongfeng aimed at the Asian market—is the first vehicle to feature deep integration with DeepSeek-R1.

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The vehicle will be able to process natural language, make navigation and entertainment recommendations, and adapt to the driver’s habits.

A boost for software. For some time, software has been one of the most critical factors in car ownership. Android Auto, Android Automotive, Apple CarPlay, proprietary solutions, and partnerships with video game developers are just a few examples.

To lead in the car of the future, automakers must lead in software, and alliances with companies like DeepSeek will be key. China is also among the leaders in the transition to electric vehicles. Having the top alternative to ChatGPT could reshape the market.

Nissan isn’t alone. Nissan and BYD aren’t the only companies approaching DeepSeek. Chinese auto giant Geely, owner of Polestar and Volvo, among others, is also betting on Chinese AI, planning to integrate it into some of its future vehicles.

The goal and benefit for users remain the same: Drivers can enjoy a more connected experience thanks to these models’ natural language understanding.

Image | Tigran Hambardzumyan (Unsplash)

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