Stellantis pivots to Google’s Android as in-car partnership with Amazon ends

Three years in the past, Stellantis introduced it was pairing up with Amazon to create in-car software program that will deliver a slew of linked services and products to autos by 2024 as a part of the automaker’s broader plan to generate $22.5 billion yearly from software program.

That by no means occurred. And now the partnership is “winding down,” Reuters reported. The article additionally reported that Amazon workers engaged on the venture had been reassigned or left the corporate, in line with unnamed sources.

Stellantis confirmed the Reuters report and instructed TechCrunch it will be pivoting to an Android-based system.

“Amazon stays a worthwhile companion for Stellantis, and the businesses proceed to work collectively on a variety of initiatives,” the automaker stated in an announcement. As an illustration, Stellantis will proceed to make use of Amazon Net Companies as its most well-liked cloud supplier for automobile platforms. Amazon’s Alexa will even proceed to be obtainable in Stellantis autos. 

Stellantis laid out an formidable plan in December 2021 to have 34 million linked vehicles on the highway by 2030. The pitch was that Stellantis could be setting itself up for a brand new stream of income past constructing and promoting autos.

Stellantis struck partnerships with BMW, Foxconn, Waymo, and Amazon to succeed in that concentrate on.

The plan to make use of in-car software program to promote passengers and drivers merchandise and subscriptions concerned three parts.

It began with an underlying electrical and software program structure system that Stellantis dubbed STLA Mind. On prime of the Mind, Stellantis would add a “STLA SmartCockpit,” a platform to ship functions to the motive force, corresponding to navigation, voice help, an e-commerce market, and cost providers, in addition to functions that will ship customized in-vehicle experiences for the motive force and passengers. A 3rd piece concerned an automatic driving platform referred to as “AutoDrive,” developed with BMW.

Amazon was tapped to help Stellantis with the STLA SmartCockpit, particularly with expertise that will adapt to prospects’ behaviors and pursuits after which ship customized providers.

Stellantis instructed TechCrunch it’s sticking with its good cockpit platform. Now it appears Google’s Android-based system, which is utilized by quite a few automakers, is headed to this future software program platform.