China’s smart vehicles with sophisticated in-car entertainment – from huge video screens to advanced stereo – are sure-fire hits in Russia, where drivers and passengers are increasingly embracing digital technology, vendors said this week during the world’s largest auto show.
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Major Chinese carmakers including Chery Automobile, Great Wall Motor and Geely Auto are the vanguards and biggest winners in Russia, after Western brands stopped selling and marketing their vehicles in the country amid Russia’s three-year military invasion of Ukraine. Other Chinese brands are playing catch-up in the nation of about 145 million people – the largest export destination for Chinese cars – by offering digital cockpits that are to their liking.
“Digital features give Chinese cars an overwhelming advantage in markets like Russia and Southeast Asia,” said Zhou Tian, a senior business development manager with Moscow-based Yandex Auto, during the 2025 Auto Shanghai trade show on Thursday. “Russian car buyers want vehicles that integrate [online] services that they use every day on their smartphones.”
Yandex, established in 2016, is looking to partner with Chinese automotive firms. During the show, Yandex received positive responses from Chinese car assemblers with their sights set on Russia, Zhou said.
Cars with Yandex software can deliver a wide range of digital services in Russia, encompassing mapping, entertainment, food delivery and e-commerce, he said.
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“Most Chinese cars, petroleum-powered or electric, are ready because their hardware, from screens to speakers, is good enough for the integration of our software,” Zhou said. “They are well received by Russian consumers.”