(Yicai Global) July 25 -- Chinese car companies such as Geely Holding Group, JAC Motors, Jidu Automobile, and SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile, are exploring a new trend of sport fishing and quickly protecting their intellectual property.

Geely Holding and its new energy vehicle brand Zeekr recently applied for a patent for a vehicle-mounted fishing system, according to corporate data platform Tianyancha. However, it is unclear whether the carmaker will adopt the innovation in its vehicles.

Geely's system comprises fishing tools such as lines and hooks, as well as a pressurized device that enables long-distance and more precise casting. It has controllers and sensors that can measure environmental factors such as water depth, water flow rate, and air temperature.

The system can help the car owner examine historical data to find the best fishing spot in the area. When a fish bites the bait, the vehicle can shake and detect the strength of the fish and adjust its tactic to reel the catch in.

Geely is not the only company to target people who are into recreational fishing. JAC Motors, Jidu Auto, and voice recognition firm iFlytek have recently applied for patents for vehicle-mounted fishing systems, according to public information.

Car companies may be checking for weak signals and future trends online as many people on Quora-like Zhihu, microblogging platform Weibo, and short video platforms Douyin and Kuaishou are asking for recommendations about vehicles to use for fishing trips.

In January 2021, SAIC-GM-Wuling, mostly known for its mini cars, introduced a compact vehicle to accommodate fishing gear and a refrigerator for the catch with a price tag of less than CNY65,000 (USD9,106).

China has about 160 million fishing enthusiasts and most of them are over 25 years old, and even younger people are getting excited about fishing, according to a report by a research institute of the Zero Power Intelligence Group.

Editor: Emmi Laine