- Honor and BYD integrate mobile connectivity with the DiLink ecosystem for a smarter driving experience.
- The agreement focuses on AI, Bluetooth digital keys, and a shared ecosystem model with service interoperability.
- Initial deployment is planned for China, with OTA updates expected in Europe starting in 2026.
- The collaboration includes joint marketing, app continuity between mobile and car, and security and privacy features.
The automotive and consumer electronics industries continue to strengthen ties: Honor and BYD have signed a strategic cooperation to unite the phone and the car in a single ecosystemThe agreement, signed in Shenzhen, seeks to integrate mobile technology natively into the vehicle, with advanced connectivity, AI-based services, and features that simplify everyday driving.
Beyond the headline, the interest for Europe and Spain is clear: this alliance aims to improve the user experience of connected vehicles, accelerate the development of new features and bring tangible benefits to users, from reliable digital keys to application continuity between smartphone and car screen.
What Honor and BYD have signed
Both companies have formalized a wide-ranging collaboration that is articulated in three pillars: technological integration, ecosystem and joint communicationThe roadmap includes the integration of Honor's connectivity solutions with BYD's next-generation DiLink intelligent system to deliver personalized experiences driven by data and AI.
The signing ceremony was attended by Wang Chuanfu (President of BYD) and Li Jian (CEO of Honor Device), while the signatories were Yang Dongsheng by BYD and Fang Fei by Honor. This marks the start of a cooperation in smart mobility that both define as a priority in the era of artificial intelligence.
Technological integration: AI, digital keys, and app continuity
On the technical level, the agreement focuses on the fusion of the ecosystem between devices, the integration of AI agents and a high-precision Bluetooth digital key that replaces the physical remote, with the aim of ensuring reliable access and start-up from the smartphone.
- The digital key promises lock, unlock and start without taking your phone out of your pocket, with stable and secure connectivity.
- La application continuity will allow you to automatically transfer navigation routes from your phone to your car screen when you sit behind the wheel.
- Functions such as: screen mirroring of the mobile, as well as a privacy mode to protect sensitive content from other occupants.
- The system will incorporate voice commands consistent between mobile and vehicle, remote climate and opening control, and security alerts projected on the HUD.
- The architecture will be based on MagicOS and the BYD cloud, with low-latency connectivity over 5G and satellite support when available.
The goal is for the car to operate like a natural extension of the smartphone, avoiding duplication, with seamless transitions between screens and an AI assistant that understands context and preferences to suggest useful actions.
Ecosystem, data and joint marketing
In the ecosystem area, companies will work on a model of “shared product and shared data” that enables platform-level interoperability: rights, services, and experiences that work coherently on both sides. This approach will be accompanied by joint campaigns around key releases —both in vehicles and smartphones—and new ways of relating to users.
The collaboration also aims to enhance user programs with cross-benefits and data-driven operations, always within security and governance frameworks that facilitate responsible and transparent use of information.
Calendar and availability
According to the communicated plan, the commercial deployment will start first in China, with a initial integration between the Magic V3 foldable and the electric sedan BYD Han EV planned for the first quarter of 2026. From there, compatibility will be expanded to more models—including SUVs like the Song L—and more phones.
Global expansion is planned for mediados de 2026, with Europe among the target markets. Many of the new products will arrive through OTA updates, which will allow for the development of functions without having to go through a workshop and accelerate availability in different countries, including Spain, as local certifications and agreements are finalized.
Background of the collaboration
Honor and BYD are not starting from scratch. In 2023 they introduced NFC keys on Honor smartphones to open and close BYD vehicles. During 2024 they expanded the scope to the fast charging in the passenger compartment and connectivity use cases. In 2025 they took a qualitative leap with the adoption of Honor Car Connect in Denza (a BYD group brand), as a preliminary step to extending the integration to the rest of the consortium's brands.
In addition, the roadmap and progress of the ecosystem have been outlined in developer meetings and conferences focused on AI-powered devices, where The driving idea is to build mobility experiences that are consistent from one end of the user journey to the other..
What's changing for European drivers?
If everything goes according to plan, the user in Europe will be able to benefit from more reliable digital access, navigation app continuity, remote control of basic functions, and a unified interface between mobile and car. For fleets and businesses, the platform interoperability can be translated into more efficient management of vehicles, permits and rights.
Another relevant point is the presence of a privacy mode and emphasis on security: from alerts that leverage mobile sensors to platform-level data protection. Here, Regulatory compliance and service modularity will be key to land these functions in the European Union.
The alliance proposes an evolution of the connected car where software and experience weigh as much as batteries and motors: More real-time services, less friction between screens, and AI that acts like glue. so that everything makes sense while driving.
With the signing in Shenzhen and an agenda that combines technological integration, ecosystem and communication, Honor and BYD aim to accelerate smart mobility with tangible features—precise digital keys, app continuity, unified voice, and OTA updates—and with a roadmap that points to China first and Europe from 2026, always with the challenge of offering a useful, safe and consistent experience.
I am a technology enthusiast who has turned his "geek" interests into a profession. I have spent more than 10 years of my life using cutting-edge technology and tinkering with all kinds of programs out of pure curiosity. Now I have specialized in computer technology and video games. This is because for more than 5 years I have been writing for various websites on technology and video games, creating articles that seek to give you the information you need in a language that is understandable to everyone.
If you have any questions, my knowledge ranges from everything related to the Windows operating system as well as Android for mobile phones. And my commitment is to you, I am always willing to spend a few minutes and help you resolve any questions you may have in this internet world.