Tesla has agreed a deal to integrate Chinese fintech giant Ant Group’s Alipay digital payment software into its vehicles in China, as Elon Musk’s firm steps up efforts to offer localised smart features amid intense competition in the Chinese market.
The agreement, signed on Tuesday, will see Tesla roll out an Alipay-powered smart parking service across its Chinese fleet, according to the fintech firm.
Neither side revealed a launch date or which car models would receive the feature, though Alipay said it would be rolled out via a “forthcoming software update”.
The feature would allow drivers to pay parking fees directly from their in-car touchscreens, Alipay said, adding that additional features for “in-car lifestyle scenarios” were currently in development.