Why Stellantis and Amazon Axed Their SmartCockpit Partnership
The car conglomerate and e-commerce and tech giant were slated to release an in-car infotainment system by 2024.
A product made for the future
Back in January 2022, Stellantis, the multinational automaker that is the parent company of American brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, as well as European powerhouses like Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati, announced a multiyear agreement revolving primarily around in-cabin software.
The main product from the Amazon-Stellantis link-up was called SmartCockpit, a 'software-defined platform' that was intended to 'seamlessly integrate with customers' digital lives' and ship in global Stellantis vehicles by 2024.
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Reuters: Stellantis and Amazon's SmartCockpit is no more
However, a new report from Reuters confirms that Amazon's deal with Stellantis to create this software is sunsetting after it missed the 2024 deadline. In a statement sent to the newswire, neither Stellantis nor Amazon told Reuters exactly why they had come to the decision. Still, they noted that each company would continue on its separate path.
'Stellantis remains a valuable partner for Amazon, and the companies continue to work together on a range of initiatives,' the two companies wrote in a statement to Reuters. They added that the break 'will allow each team to focus on solutions that provide value to our shared customers and better align with our evolving strategies.'
Amazon, Stellantis had big goals for SmartCockpit
The goal of SmartCockpit was to turn ordinary Chryslers, Dodges, Jeeps, Rams, as well as Fiats, Alfa Romeos, and Maseratis, into software-defined vehicles like those of rivals like Tesla, Rivian, and BYD. In Stellantis's 2022 release announcing and detailing its plans to develop SmartCockpit, the two companies said that the software in Stellantis-branded cars will 'seamlessly integrate with customers' digital lives to create personalized, intuitive in-vehicle experiences through AI-enhanced applications for entertainment, Alexa-enabled voice assistance, navigation, vehicle maintenance, ecommerce marketplaces, and payment services.'
The 'STLA SmartCockpit platform,' as it was called, would use purpose-built Amazon products for Stellantis, integrate Amazon's Echo and Alexa smart home and security ecosystem, and create a smartphone-like in-car software experience tailored for specific vehicles and their owners.
'For example, Chrysler Pacifica vehicles could offer a family-trip planner that recommends media content, points of interest, restaurants, and other fun stops along the route,' Stellantis said. ' Jeep® vehicles could come with a digital off-road 'coach' to help customers calibrate the vehicle and optimize performance before tackling tough terrain.'
At the time, then-Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares called the Amazon partnership 'an integral part of our capability building roadmap,' adding that Amazon's tech prowess would help transform the driving experience of its vehicles.
'By leveraging artificial intelligence and cloud solutions, we will transform our vehicles into personalized living spaces and enhance the overall customer experience, making our vehicles the most wanted, most captivating place to be, even when not driving,' Tavares said.
Final thoughts
The end of this partnership comes as Stellantis enters a transition period following the tenure of Carlos Tavares, with the newly appointed CEO, Antonio Filosa, taking the helm in June. I think that the rather quiet realization of the end of this partnership goes to show that Stellantis is prioritizing its approach going forward.
That being said, the fact that we are in the era of the software-defined vehicle is rather interesting, especially considering that companies like Google (with Google Built-in) and Apple's CarPlay Ultra are making their way to dominate every screen on dashboards. If it came to light, having Amazon in the mix would have been a very left-field option.
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