Honda in tie-up with internet giant

Japan's Honda Motor Co said it is partnering with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd to develop a smart and internet-connected system, one of the latest examples of closer cooperation between carmakers and tech companies to herald the age of smart mobility.

A Honda China representative said the carmaker is working with AutoNavi, the e-commerce giant's map business unit, to develop an on-board system allowing drivers to make reservations using maps and pay via Alibaba's payment tool Alipay.

Honda and AutoNavi have partnered since 2015 on car-navigation systems. Alipay had some 520 million users by the end of 2017, and 82 percent of them used the platform at least once in the year, according to the mobile payment giant's annual report.