Geely Partners with Google to Add In-Car Gemini AI and Maps from Late 2027

2 min readOct 17, 20265:40 AM

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Geely Holding Group will begin installing Google software across its export passenger car line-up in the second half of 2027. The shift replaces proprietary overseas infotainment systems.

The agreement covers five volume brands across Asia, Europe and the Americas. It supports the Chinese automotive group’s plan to sell over two million vehicles outside its domestic market annually by 2030.

Under the global partnership, eligible vehicles sold outside China and the United States will carry factory-installed Google Automotive Services. The bundle integrates Google Maps navigation, the Google Play app store and the Gemini artificial intelligence voice assistant directly into dashboards. Drivers will not need smartphone projection.

Vehicles from Geely, Lynk & Co, Proton, Riddara and Smart will receive the package in phases. Individual model schedules and target territories will depend on local market certification and regional product roadmaps.

Splitting domestic and export software

Chinese automakers have long struggled with digital cockpits abroad. At home, systems run on tech stacks built around Baidu maps, Tencent media apps and domestic large language models. Those tools rarely work overseas. Drivers outside mainland China expect native Google integration instead.

By licensing Google Automotive Services directly, the group drops the cost of maintaining custom software for international showrooms. Subsidiary Polestar took a similar approach, running Google-powered operating systems on its Polestar 2 fastback since 2020. The change removes friction for export buyers unfamiliar with Chinese interfaces.

“The first vehicle with integrated Google software will launch internationally in late 2027.”

Platform rollout across five brands

The roll-out gives distinct regional business units a unified software baseline. Malaysia-based Proton gains navigation and voice tools for Southeast Asian markets where driver app usage centers heavily on Android. Smart, a joint venture with Mercedes-Benz, will use the setup to standardise digital cockpits across Europe.

Riddara, Geely’s electric pickup division, and Lynk & Co will deploy the interface as both brands expand in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The first vehicle with integrated Google software will launch internationally in late 2027. The automaker will withhold the model name until closer to production.

Software localisation has gained pace across other group divisions throughout the year. Premium electric brand Zeekr agreed in April 2026 to build an Android Automotive-based media system with 3 Screen Solutions for European buyers, followed in October by an in-car gaming tie-up with AirConsole. The latest Google deal brings mass-market brands into line with that software approach.

Export volume targets push software overhaul

Ambitious overseas sales goals are driving the digital overhaul across business units. Listed subsidiary Geely Auto raised its 2026 export target in August to 920,000 units from an earlier 640,000 goal, setting an internal target of one million export sales. Parent group Geely Holding aims for 6.5 million total annual deliveries by 2030, with international markets accounting for over one-third of that volume.

Reaching that scale requires retail networks in mature consumer markets that demand Western tech compatibility. On October 9, the core Geely brand announced its expansion into Canada, signing retail and service partners ahead of initial vehicle deliveries in 2027.

Showrooms will receive the first production models featuring built-in Gemini and Google Play in late 2027, when Geely starts customer deliveries of its next-generation export line-up.

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What this means

Geely's adoption of Google Automotive Services across five export brands is a pragmatic move likely to succeed in overcoming a persistent challenge for Chinese automakers abroad. By providing native Google Maps, Play Store, and Gemini AI, Geely addresses Western consumer expectations and removes the friction associated with unfamiliar interfaces. This directly supports the group's aggressive 2030 international sales targets, aligning mass-market brands with premium subsidiary Polestar’s 2020 Google integration and Zeekr's 2026 Android Automotive deals. The primary risk lies in the staggered rollout and certification processes across diverse markets, which could delay impact. The move significantly pressures rivals still relying on proprietary or less integrated systems. Watch for the specific vehicle model name launch in late 2027.

Sarah Chen

Questions & Answers

Which Geely brands will receive the new Google Automotive Services package?

Vehicles from Geely, Lynk & Co, Proton, Riddara and Smart will receive the package in phases. The rollout will unify software across these distinct regional business units, supporting international sales growth targets for the group.

Why is Geely making this change to its in-car software for export markets?

Chinese automakers struggle with digital cockpits abroad, where drivers expect native Google integration. This deal removes friction for export buyers unfamiliar with Chinese interfaces and drops the cost of maintaining custom software for international showrooms.

When will the first vehicles with integrated Google software be launched internationally?

The first vehicle with integrated Google software will launch internationally in late 2027. Geely's core brand showrooms will receive these production models for customer deliveries of its next-generation export line-up at the same time.

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