German carmaker BMW on Monday said it will work with Chinese tech giant Huawei to develop an in-car digital ecosystem specifically tailored for the Chinese market.

According to the German auto behemoth, this cooperation means a deep integration with Huawei's HarmonyOS NEXT, the Chinese company's self-developed operating system that was built independent of the Android architecture.

Built upon the operating system, BMW's digital key functionality is set to debut later this year, allowing users to unlock, lock and start their vehicles using Huawei smartphones. Additionally, the integration with a Huawei smart interconnection solution will debut in 2026 on BMW's locally produced next-generation electric models, the "Neue Klasse."

"In China, nearly a quarter of our mobile application users rely on Huawei devices. By deeply integrating with the HarmonyOS ecosystem, BMW will enhance in-car applications and digital connectivity services for HarmonyOS users, elevating intelligent experiences in high-frequency use scenarios," said Sean Green, president and CEO of BMW Group Region China.

The German company has approximately 460 local supplier partners in China and is accelerating collaboration with Chinese technology partners, particularly in cutting-edge technologies such as large language models, generative artificial intelligence and intelligent voice interaction.

With research and development (R&D) centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang and Nanjing, BMW has established its largest R&D network outside of Germany in China.

"China has emerged as a global engine of innovation," said the senior executive. "Through collaboration with leading local technology partners in joint R&D and co-creation, BMW is leveraging its system integration expertise to advance local partnerships."

Believing in the potential of the Chinese car market, the German company announced a reinvestment to upgrade and modernize its Shenyang production base in 2024, following two decades of rapid expansion in the northeastern Chinese city.

Since 2010, BMW's total investment in its Shenyang production base has reached 116 billion yuan (about 16.18 billion U.S. dollars), making the city home to BMW's largest production facility worldwide.