In January 2022, Amazon and Stellantis announced a multi-year partnership formed to develop a suite of software that was expected to end up in millions of cars starting in 2024. The agreement was proudly presented as a way for Stellantis to “accelerate its shift to becoming a sustainable mobility tech company,” while presumably giving Amazon a significant advantage in its rivalry against Google. Fast-forward to 2025 and plans have changed. The partnership is ending, according to a new report, and Stellantis may knock on Google’s door instead.
It’s too early to tell why the partnership is winding down, according to Reuters. Parting ways “will allow each team to focus on solutions that provide value to our shared customers and better align with our evolving strategies,” the companies jointly told the news agency. I’d give that statement a five-star rating in marketing-bullshit-ology. It answers the question in the vaguest and most non-committal way possible.
Joining forces with Amazon was a great idea on paper. Like many of its peers and rivals, Stellantis realized that it often makes more sense to focus on what it does best—developing cars—and outsource the tech part of the equation to a tech company. Software has become one of the main measuring sticks in the automotive industry, especially outside of niche and performance-oriented segments. Offering a cutting-edge digital experience is now a core requirement for a volume-oriented group that sells cars all over the world.
One of the centerpieces of the partnership was a feature called SmartCockpit. It relied on artificial intelligence, Amazon’s Alexa tech, and cloud solutions to link the car’s infotainment system to the user’s digital ecosystem. The software was notably supposed to include curated services and experiences available through an app store. Stellantis provided an example: In a Chrysler Pacifica, SmartCockpit would be able to offer a family trip planner that recommended media content, points of interest, and restaurants. Jeep models were supposed to get a digital off-road coach to help, say, a Wrangler owner navigate a difficult trail without violently introducing the engine’s oil pan to a rock.
It goes without saying that an e-commerce marketplace and a payment service were part of SmartCockpit as well; this is Amazon, after all. And, Alexa connectivity would have allowed users to control their connected home devices, like lights, from behind the wheel. Of course, the ability to monetize the software was baked in early on, and this wasn’t purely about the user experience. Stellantis would have paid Amazon for access to the software in each car equipped with it, along with various maintenance fees. In exchange, the carmaker would have received an incentive fee when a driver signed up for, say, a music subscription service through the car’s infotainment screen.
Stellantis and Amazon will continue to work on various other projects, according to the report, though none were named. It doesn’t sound like the retail giant will try to develop a SmartCockpit-like software with another company: Sources told Reuters most of the Digital Cabin staff have left the company or been re-assigned to a different department. Stellantis remains committed to the idea, however, and Reuters reports that executives are open to the idea of enlisting the help of Google’s Android platform to bring the technology to the market.
Got tips? Send ’em to [email protected]
Read the full article here