BEIJING, CHINA--(Marketwired - Sep 1, 2016) - HARMAN
International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE: HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and
enterprise markets, and
Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), the leading Chinese language Internet search provider, announced today a global
partnership at the annual Baidu World conference. Through this partnership, HARMAN will deliver high-quality audio solutions
to innovative speech-enabled smart speakers, integrated with Baidu's advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.
"Consumers want a connected lifestyle that elevates their everyday experiences. To realize the power and potential of this
demand, HARMAN is focused on delivering technologies and solutions that offer sophisticated functionalities, personalized user
interfaces and, importantly, seamless integration from home and work to the car and on the go," said Dinesh Paliwal, chairman,
president and CEO of HARMAN. "We are excited to expand HARMAN's relationship with Baidu which started with Connected Car
implementing Baidu's Car Life, an industry first which led to further development with smart audio speakers that integrate
Baidu's AI capabilities. Now consumers will have the best of all worlds with flawless sound quality, award-winning Harman Kardon
design and advanced speech-enabled capabilities for an exceptional listening experience."
"The partnership between Baidu and HARMAN will let consumers use natural voice control to experience premium quality sound and
on-demand services," said Andrew Ng, chief scientist of Baidu. "HARMAN will integrate a range of AI technologies from
Baidu, including speech recognition, natural language processing and speech synthesis."
In January 2015, HARMAN Connected Car and Baidu entered into a strategic collaboration to launch CarLife, a vehicle networking
solution that offers advanced Internet capabilities, entertainment features and location-based services on HARMAN's in-vehicle
infotainment head units designed for the Chinese market. The new Kia K5 infotainment system developed by HARMAN Connected Car
China is the industry's first in-vehicle infotainment system with Baidu CarLife that passed the Apple MFi certification. The new
system is compatible with both Android smart phones and iPhones, opening a new era for smart phones and car connection in the
Chinese market.
ABOUT HARMAN
HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and
enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and connected
services. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN
is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 25 million
automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. The Company's software services power
billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car
and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 29,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia and reported sales of
$6.9 billion during the 12 months ended June 30, 2016. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol NYSE:HAR.
ABOUT BAIDU
Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu
aims to provide the best and most equitable way for people to find what they're looking for. In addition to serving individual
Internet search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers. Baidu's ADSs trade on
the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU". Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.
HAR-C
© 2016 HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark
Levinson are trademarks of HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries.
AKG is a trademark of AKG Acoustics GmbH, registered in the United States and/or other countries. Features, specifications and
appearance are subject to change without notice.