Geely Holding Group will put Google built-in, including Gemini, Google Maps and Google Play, into cars from its brands sold outside China, starting with a first model in the second half of 2027. The company announced the global partnership with Google on Friday, October 16, 2026.
The rollout covers Geely, Lynk & Co, Proton, Riddara and smart, among others. It is planned for markets outside China and the United States.
Quick facts
| Partners | Geely Holding Group (Zhejiang Geely Holding) and Google |
| What's included | Google Automotive Services: Gemini, Google Maps, Google Play and more |
| Brands | Geely, Lynk & Co, Proton, Riddara, smart, "among others" |
| First car | Second half of 2027 |
| Markets | Outside China and the US, where Google services are available |
| Specific models | Not yet announced |
What will Geely drivers get?
Geely Holding says the system brings a multimodal voice assistant, navigation, cross-device connectivity and an in-car app store to the car's own screens. Those map to Google's main in-car products: Gemini for voice, Google Maps for navigation and Google Play for apps.
Google built-in runs on Android Automotive OS and lives inside the car itself, so it works without plugging in a phone. That is different from Android Auto, which mirrors apps from a phone.
"People increasingly expect the same level of convenience and connectivity in their cars" as on their other devices, said Dr. Shen Yuan, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Geely Holding.
Haris Ramic, Google's product director for Android for Cars, said the partnership is "transforming the in-car experience" for the group's customers, bringing apps, navigation and a personal AI assistant to more of its models.
Which Geely brands are included?
Geely Holding named Geely, Lynk & Co, Proton (the Malaysian brand it part-owns), Riddara (its electric pickup brand) and smart (its joint venture with Mercedes-Benz). It said others may follow.
Two of the group's brands are already ahead. The Polestar 2 has offered Google built-in since 2020, and Volvo Cars, which Geely Holding controls, also uses Google built-in in its models.
No specific models have been named yet. Geely Holding says it will announce supported models and markets as the rollout progresses.
Why isn't it coming to the US or China?
China is excluded because Google's consumer services are not generally available there. Geely's cars sold in China will keep using Chinese software.
The US is excluded too. None of the brands named in the rollout is sold in the US, and a US Commerce Department rule finalized in January 2025 bars connected-vehicle software from China or Russia in cars sold in the US, starting with the 2027 model year.
Geely Holding also says each launch depends on regulatory approval and market readiness.
Why does it matter?
Chinese carmakers are pushing hard into markets around the world, and buyers there expect apps they already know. Building in Google gives Geely's cars the same maps, voice assistant and app store that rival Western and Korean brands offer.
The numbers show how much Geely is betting on exports. Geely Auto raised its 2026 export target to 920,000 vehicles from 640,000 in August, according to CnEVPost, and Geely Holding has set a goal of 6.5 million global sales a year by 2030, with more than a third coming from outside China.
Geely is not the only Chinese carmaker racing overseas. BYD's exports have been climbing fast too.
What to watch
The first models. Which car gets Google built-in first, and in which country.
Gemini in the car. How far Google's AI assistant goes in Geely's cockpits compared with the Gemini rollout in other brands.
Regulators. Whether data-security scrutiny of Chinese connected cars spreads beyond the US to the markets Geely is targeting.
Published Sunday, October 18, 2026. Details are from Geely Holding Group's October 16 announcement, as reported by Reuters and CnEVPost.
