‘Connected car’ market sees global carmakers flocking to China firms

BEIJING: China has the youngest premium car buyers in the world and their tech-savvy demand for “connected cars” – coupled with Communist regulations – is driving international automakers into the arms of the country’s Internet giants.

Growth is slowing and competition intensifying in the world’s No. 1 car market, but it also boasts Mercedes Benz buyers with an average age of 37 and Audi customers even younger at 36. In contrast, the average Mercedes buyer in the United States is over 54, according to IHS Automotive.