(Yicai Global) March 26 -- Chinese household appliance giant Haier Group and auto manufacturer SAIC Motor have become the latest tech firm and carmaker to join forces to gain a foothold in the rapidly growing connected car sector, online news outlet The Paper reported today.

The pair will collaborate on the research, application and promotion of smart driving technologies, interconnections between homes and cars, intelligent manufacturing and many other fields, the report said, citing an agreement signed yesterday.

Recent such pairings include e-commerce titan Alibaba Group Holding and FAW Group as well as search engine giant Baidu and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Speculation is also rife that smartphone maker Xiaomi is about to link up with Great Wall Motors.

Qingdao, northeastern Shandong province-based Haier invested in Internet of Vehicle startup Pateo last July and has said it will go one step further to build a new ecology of home-vehicle interconnections.

Editor: Kim Taylor