Volkswagen’s driver assistance tech in the West has never threatened the class leaders, but in China the company plans to put Level 3 automated driving in customer cars in the second half of 2027. Level 3 means the car handles the driving within set conditions and the driver stops being the moment-to-moment backup, something no VW-badged model in Europe or North America can do today.

The German automaker is working alongside Chinese firm Horizon Robotics to make it happen. The duo operate a joint venture known as Carizon and, through a strengthened deal agreed to between the companies, Horizon’s AI foundation-model capabilities will be used to develop and accelerate the creation of an advanced new AI driving solution for VW.

Read: VW Ruled China For 25 Years, Now Young Buyers Call It Their Parents’ Car

The automaker’s unified AI driving model will be trained to handle end-to-end driving tasks and, thanks to Horizon’s technologies, better anticipate the behavior of other road users, creating a safer and more reliable system.

This driving stack will be integrated within VW’s China Electronic Architecture (CEA), its first locally developed zonal electronic and electrical architecture. This will ensure the complex automated driving functions can be added to several model lines not only in China, but also in the “Global South,” according to VW.

Carizon’s L2+ ADAS already appears in several VW models sold in China, among them the ID. Unyx 07 and ID. Unyx 06, with highway Navigate on Autopilot and memory parking. An L2++ version arrives later this year, extending Navigate on Autopilot into cities and destined for seven of VW’s new energy vehicles in the Chinese market.

“China has become one of Volkswagen Group’s key innovation and technology hubs, particularly in software, artificial intelligence and automated driving,” VW Group chief executive Oliver Blume said. “Our deepened collaboration within CARIZON further strengthens our ability to develop and scale AI-based solutions for automated driving.”

Android Automotive OS and Google Maps have been adopted by a number of automakers, but Apple is fighting back with a MapKit for Automotive SDK. It promises to provide a “beautiful and easy-to-use navigation experience powered by Apple Maps directly to the vehicle’s displays.”

The technology will be integrated into Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, which will underpin their highly anticipated $30,000 pickup as well as an assortment of other affordable EVs. Furthermore, Ford will use “road-level information from Apple Maps as part of the development of its next-generation BlueCruise” semi-autonomous driving system. The automaker said this will result in a more seamless hands-free driving experience.

More: Ford’s $30K Electric Truck Looks Tiny Next To Expedition In New Spy Photos

The companies didn’t release pictures or many details, but said drivers can expect natural language turn-by-turn directions as well as real-time traffic and incident information. Users can also look forward to an intuitive search feature with “detailed place cards.” There will also be multiple “routing options to help users easily find the best route to their destination.”

While the automaker and tech giant didn’t elaborate, there’s little doubt the routing options will factor in recharging stops for long distance trips. This functionality is already built into Apple Maps as it monitors the battery and analyzes elevation changes as well as other factors along your route to identify appropriate charging stations along the way. It can also provide real-time charging station availability and help to find the nearest compatible charging station when the battery gets extremely low.

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Aside from already existing features, Ford confirmed the new integration will have a battery preconditioning function. This likely means that when drivers navigate towards a charging station, the battery will precondition itself for optimal charging when it arrives.

Ford CEO Jim Farley remarked, “Our new midsize electric vehicle will be priced around $30,000 and redefines what advanced technology can be – simple, useful, and truly attainable for more customers. We’re proud to embed Apple Maps’ navigation and mapping technology directly into our Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, giving customers the ultimate navigation experience alongside our Ford app, a full suite of software, and next-generation BlueCruise, all enabled by a new zonal architecture.”

Apple’s senior vice president of Services and Health, Eddy Cue, added “With our new MapKit for Automotive SDK, we’re bringing Maps further into drivers’ daily lives, giving them an incredibly accurate and easy-to-use navigation system that is seamlessly integrated into Ford vehicles.”

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