Amazon and Stellantis Discontinue SmartCockpit Project, Shifting Focus in Automotive AI Landscape

Amazon and Stellantis abandon project to create a digital "SmartCockpit

Automaker Stellantis and retail and web services behemoth Amazon have decided to put an end to a collaboration on new in-car software. The partnership dates back to 2022, part of a wide-ranging agreement that also saw Stellantis pick AWS as its cloud platform for new vehicles and Amazon sign on as the first customer for Ram's fully electric ProMaster EV van. A key aspect of the Amazon-Stellantis partnership was to be a software platform for new Stellantis vehicles called STLA SmartCockpit. Meant to debut last year, SmartCockpit was supposed to "seamlessly integrate with customers' digital lives to create personalized, intuitive in-vehicle experiences," using Alexa and other AI agents to provide better in-car entertainment but also navigation, vehicle maintenance, and in-car payments as well. But 2024 came and went without the launch of SmartCockpit, and now the joint work has wound down, according to Reuters, although not for any particular reason the news organization could discern. Rather, the companies said in a statement that they "will allow each team to focus on solutions that provide value to our shared customers and better align with our evolving strategies." Stellantis still continues to work with Amazon in other areas -- Stellantis isn't migrating away from AWS any time soon that we know, and Amazon provides the Fire TVs that are an option on Chrysler's Pacifica minivan. More broadly, Amazon has been placing Alexa inside the infotainment systems of dozens of OEMs as it competes with other tech giants to claim a slice of vehicles' digital footprint. But Amazon is still a bit player compared to rivals. Google's Android Automotive OS is now built into hundreds of new models, including all Stellantis vehicles that ship with uConnect 5. And many more use more modified Android-based OSes. ChatGPT is making fast in-roads, supplementing natural language processing and voice recognition systems from Google and Cerence to make for more powerful in-car search experiences. And as we learned earlier this month, Apple's CarPlay Ultra, which takes over the entire main instrument display as well as the infotainment screen, is now ready for the road.

Amazon and Stellantis to Wind Down In-Car Technology Collaboration | PYMNTS.com

Amazon and Stellantis are reportedly winding down their deal that aimed to add the tech giant's in-car technology to the automaker's vehicles. The joint project, dubbed Stellantis SmartCockpit, was announced in 2022, Reuters reported Wednesday (May 28). The companies told Reuters that the decision to end their collaboration on the project was mutual. "Stellantis remains a valuable partner for Amazon, and the companies continue to work together on a range of initiatives," they said in a statement, per the report. The SmartCockpit project aimed to transform the driving experience with sophisticated vehicle software that would detect the driver and personalize the thermostat, navigation and other settings, according to the report. Stellantis hoped the software would help it compete with companies like Tesla, while Amazon sought to expand its offerings to other automakers as well, the report said. The report did not cite a reason for the change but said that Stellantis faces the challenge of implementing software across 14 brands and that other traditional automakers have also struggled to add sophisticated software. The companies told Reuters that ending their partnership "will allow each team to focus on solutions that provide value to our shared customers and better align with our evolving strategies." When Amazon and Stellantis announced their deal in January 2022, they said they would collaborate to implement Amazon's technology and software know-how across Stellantis, including vehicle development, building connected in-vehicle experiences and training the next generation of automotive software engineers. Stellantis recently announced some other software-related projects. The automaker announced in February that it launched STLA Autodrive, an automated driving system that allows for automated driving at speeds of up to 37 mph. With this system, drivers will be notified that STLA Autodrive is available "when traffic and environmental conditions align." Once activated, the system takes over, keeping at safe distances, adjusting speed, and managing steering and braking based on traffic flow. Also in February, Stellantis and Mistral AI expanded their partnership to include an artificial intelligence-powered in-car assistant as well as other AI-driven projects they have been working on together for a year. With the AI-powered in-car assistant, the companies aim to create a "real-time, voice-enabled user manual" that will answer questions about vehicle features, troubleshooting or warning indicators.