Zhang Xu, an independent smart-transportation analyst, said whether Didi can take on Uber in overseas markets will depend on how quickly it can integrate its resources with its foreign partners.
"So far, Didi's ties with them have been capital-oriented, but deeper collaboration can be expected on technologies, products and services," he added.
On top of tapping into international markets, Didi is also actively promoting the application of new-energy vehicles. It has formed a joint venture with the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization earlier this year to roll out charging networks for electric vehicles, or EVs.
The move came after the Beijing-based startup signed up with National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB, which bought the assets of bankrupt Saab Automobile AB in 2012, to jointly develop EVs.
According to the International Energy Agency, also known as IEA, more than 750,000 EVs were sold worldwide last year, compared to 547,220 sold in 2015. China has surpassed the U.S. to be the largest carrier of electric vehicles, accounting for 40 percent of the EVs sold in the world, twice as big as the U.S..
"The future of transport is new energy vehicles, and ride-sharing will be a key link in promoting new energy on the road," said Cheng. "With the advance of new energy and new transmission technology, we have the chance to build a global 'internet' of energy."
Apart from EVs, Didi is ratcheting up resources into artificial intelligence, as self-driving vehicles are widely seen as the next frontier of innovation.
In November, the company announced the opening of its main U.S. research facility in Mountain View, California, to facilitate the growth and expansion of its Bay Area-based team. The new campus is located in the heart of Mountain View on National Avenue, with offices covering 36,000 square feet and capacity for more than 200 employees.
This is part of the Didi Labs, a laboratory unveiled in March this year. Bob Zhang, CTO of Didi Chuxing, said at the campus opening: "It's been an exciting year for Didi Labs. Our talented team is growing fast and making important contributions across our key tech areas, from smart-city transportation management, AI ride-matching, to security and new product innovation."
Having hands in an array of transportation services, including taxi, premier cars, mini bus, car rental, hitch and investments in bike-sharing, Didi's latest push in self-driving cars highlights once again its ambitions of building a one-stop platform to meet people's various demands.
"We are seeing a great revolution which integrates the internet of information, the internet of energy, and the internet of transportation. Didi hopes to play an important part in promoting such integration so as to make cities better," Cheng added.
