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Stellantis wants to outfit cars with AI software to drive revenue

MILAN — Carmaker Stellantis announced a strategy Tuesday to embed AI-enabled software in 34 million vehicles across its 14 brands, hoping the tech upgrade will help it bring in 20 billion euros ($22.6 billion) in annual revenue by 2030. CEO Carlos Tavares heralded the move as part of a strategy that would transform the car company into a “sustainable mobility tech company,” with business growth coming from features and services tied to the internet. That includes using voice commands to activate navigation, make payments and order products online. The company is expanding existing partnerships with BMW on partially automated driving, iPhone manufacturer Foxconn on customized cockpits and Waymo to push their autonomous driving work into light commercial vehicle delivery fleets. StellantisÂ’ embrace of artificial intelligence and expansion of software-enabled vehicles is part of a broad transformation in the auto industry, with a race toward more fully electric and hybrid propulsion systems, more autonomous driving features and increased connectivity in automobiles. Ford and General Motors also are banking on dramatically increased revenue from similar online subscription services. But the automakers face immense competition for monthly consumer spending from movie and music streaming services, news outlets, Amazon Prime and others. Stellantis, which was formed from the combination of PSA Peugeot and FCA Fiat Chrysler, said the software would seamlessly integrate into customers' lives, with the capability of live updates providing upgraded services over time. New products will include the possibility to subscribe to automated driving features, purchase usage-based car insurance or even increase the power of the vehicle with a tune-up to add horsepower. As a baseline, Stellantis generates 400 million euros in revenue on software-generated services installed in 12 million vehicles. To meet the targets, Stellantis will expand its software engineering team of 1,000 to 4,500 in North America, Asia and Europe. More than 1,000 of the expanded team will be retrained in house. Stellantis also announced a new partnership with Foxconn to develop semiconductors to cover 80% of the companyÂ’s needs and simplify the supply chain. The first microchips from the partnership are targeted to be installed in vehicles in 2024.

Alfa's upcoming EV sports car poised as a 4C Spider successor — the 4E?

Expanding its ambitious plans for its future electric cars, Alfa Romeo is working on an electric sports car — one that might be badged the 4E and live on as a successor to the 4C Spider — for introduction before the end of the decade "There are some items from Alfa Romeo that we don't kill: One is the Spider, the other is a love of cars. We do want to continue them because that's the brand,” Daniel Guzzafame, Head of Products at Alfa, said in an interview with Autocar. “The main point is to make sure that when we do it, we are credible, are sustainable, and don't just throw something on the market for the sake of it.” The ItaliansÂ’ prospective scenario would hinge on the success of its new multi-car/SUV lineup that includes the Tonale, introduced earlier this year; a baby SUV spotted online recently that could come next year, and upcoming electric versions of the Guilia sedan and Stelvio. A new Alfa Romeo will arrive each year for the next five years, Alfa executives say, to build up the “sustainable” inventory foundation to which Guzzafame referred. In past years, he said, “we went to the dealers, and they had the 4C, Giulietta, and Mito, and that was all they had. First, you need to have a solid lineup, and then, of course, the Spider has to be the cherry on the cake.” The sports car discussed by Guzzafame may borrow styling cues from the newly revealed 33 Stradale supercar, available with Alfa's first-ever electric drivetrain. The company may also look to mimic the dynamics of todayÂ’s mid-engined sports cars by locating its battery in the center of the chassis, a placement that would allow a traditional cab-forward shape.  Alfa Romeo has suggested that all of its ICE vehicles will go out of production by 2027. As far as a “noiseless” Alfa is concerned, Guzzafame explained the company may try to emulate the sounds and vibrations of a gasoline motor in the new car. “ItÂ’s not what you hear, itÂ’s what you feel,” he said. “WeÂ’re working on how to transfer that into a vibe, more than sound, and something that will resonate in your ear, because you need to get something from your gut.” As for the gorgeous mid-engined Stradale, the engine is a version of the twin-turbo V6 from the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio models, and apparently some aspects of the active suspension are also taken from the Giulia Quadrifoglio GTA.

2021 Ram TRX, BMW 5 Series and the end of the Alfa Romeo 4C | Autoblog Podcast #657

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. They kick things off discussing the brand-new 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, discussing how it compares with its main rival, the Ford F-150 Raptor. They move on to the latest BMW 5 Series before a quick overview of the Buick Enclave. The podcast wraps up by saying goodbye to the Alfa Romeo 4C, which leaves the world after the 2020 model year. Autoblog Podcast #657 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown What we're driving2021 Ram 1500 TRX 2021 BMW 540i 2020 Buick Enclave Other news Goodbye, Alfa Romeo 4C Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: