Auto Giant Stellantis Will Integrate Alexa-Powered Platform into Millions of Cars
Automobile giant Stellantis has teamed with Amazon to build and deploy Alexa-powered connected vehicle technology to millions of cars starting in 2024. Stellantis is the merged FCA and Groupe PSA company and counts a couple of dozen major vehicle brands under its umbrella. The collaboration will integrate Amazon’s tech into every part of the car building process, including making Amazon Web Services (AWS) its cloud provider and producing the STLA SmartCockpit digital cabin platform.
STLA Alexa
The new agreement augments Amazon’s deal last year with Fiat Chrysler, which now falls under the Stellantis name. The STLA SmartCockpit currently under development will embed Alexa’s AI in 14 major vehicle brands like Dodge and Jeep. Stellantis will regularly update the collection of software services with over-the-air (OTA) upgrades. Stellantis said its goal is to have 34 million connected cars running by 2030 to generate revenue. That means leveraging the software to sell people things for their car or while they are driving.
The STLA SmartCockpit will rely on the Alexa custom assistant model, giving a lot of flexibility to Stellantis and its brands. The conversational AI platform supports unique features and wakewords for a voice assistant, undergirded by Alexa technology. The developers can customize as much as they want and leverage Alexa’s existing abilities, so there’s no need to replicate the data and apps already accessible as part of Alexa.
“Working together with Amazon is an integral part of our capability building roadmap, based on both developing internal competencies and decisive collaborations with tech leaders, and it will bring significant expertise to one of our key technology platforms, STLA SmartCockpit,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said. “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.”
Driving Forward
The deal with Stellantis represents a potentially huge deal for Amazon, but not totally unexpected. Amazon has been pushing to upgrade and expand Alexa’s automotive tech at an accelerating pace over the last couple of years. The release of Alexa Auto SDK 4.0 and a vehicular version of the Teachable AI features in December mark just the latest such examples. The car effort extends to designing new ones as well. Amazon said as part of the deal that it would be Stellantis’ first commercial customer for its new Ram ProMaster Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) next year. The two companies worked together to make the vehicle particularly well suited toward making Amazon deliveries.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Stellantis to transform the automotive industry and re-invent the in-vehicle experience. We are inventing solutions that will help enable Stellantis to accelerate connected and personalized in-vehicle experiences, so that every moment in motion can be smart, safe, and tailored to each occupant,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in a statement. “Together, we will create the foundation for Stellantis to transform from a traditional automaker into a global leader in software-driven development and engineering.”
Follow @voicebotai Follow @erichschwartz
Amazon’s Ambient Alexa Vision Weaves Together Smart Homes, TVs, Cars, and Spaceships at CES
