Ford Motors Co has expressed interest to use WeChat in its cars in China, the world's biggest automotive market, in order to entice car buyers that look at not only the engine size but also the added features of car.

Competitors Daimler and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. have similarly shown interest in providing Chinese drivers with a hands-free access to mobile apps.

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David Huang, senior engineer and head of Ford's Asia Pacific connected services unit, notes that there is a demand from their consumers for such service.

"People want to stay connected, stay informed and stay entertained all the time, even when they're driving," he said.

He told Reuters that Ford is already discussing the possibility of partnering with China's leading Internet company, Tencent, which owns WeChat.

However, Tencent has not issued a statement about the possible partnership yet.

The tech industry has been keen on automobiles, with industry leaders Google Inc. and Apple Inc. working to safely keep drivers online while on the road.

China is seen as the main battlefront given that most of the first-time car buyers are early-adopters, tech savvy and among the first to know about the tech trends.

Huang revealed that Ford pictures drivers of their car syncing their phones to the car and using WeChat's vast functions while behind the wheel.

Of course, Tencent and Ford would prioritize the driver's safety, limiting button use and utilizing mostly voice commands for this.

Yale Zhang, managing director of Automotive Foresight, perceives connectivity as one of the major deciding factors for Chinese consumers to buy a car.

"Those kind of things are the fundamental things people will consider," he added.

Chinese drivers often violate traffic laws because they use their smartphones close to their face in order to utilize its voice messaging feature.

The safe and legal use of Wechat and other chatting apps could help automakers drive the market in China, given the recent lackluster auto sales. 

TagsTencent Holdings, Ford, ford motors, chat app, messaging app, driver, car