By John Bugailiskis
LAS VEGAS – Forget riding shotgun, the backseat is the place to be according to BMW.
At CES 2022, the automobile maker showed off a concept iX M60 electric vehicle with a 31-inch 8K “theatre screen” (above) powered by Amazon’s Fire TV. Apparently, this is the first vehicle integration of Fire TV to support content in 4K.
The BMW Group says it is working with Amazon to fully integrate the Fire TV experience within the theatre screen system to provide passengers access to a wide variety of content so they can stream videos, listen to music, and watch downloaded programs, all while on the road. A country-specific streaming offering is also in the works for customers in China. Availability and pricing of the screen was not made available.
The concept iX M60 electric vehicle is also turning a lot of heads on the outside since it can actually change its colours using E Ink, the electronic paper technology used in e-readers. The fluid colour changes are made possible by a specially developed body wrap that is tailored precisely to the contours of the vehicle. When stimulated by electrical signals, the electrophoretic technology brings different colour pigments to the surface, causing the car’s colour to instantly change.
At CES Amazon and Stellantis, a multinational automotive manufacturing corporation, also announced they will collaborate to develop cars and trucks with Amazon software in the dashboards, and deploy electric vans made by Stellantis on Amazon’s delivery network. Stellantis was formed in 2021 on the basis of a 50-50 cross-border merger between the Italian-American conglomerate Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the French PSA Group.
The agreements should further strengthen Amazon’s aim to increase its presence in the transportation sector and may help Stellantis compete more closely with Tesla in developing vehicles with advanced infotainment features that are connected to the cloud.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Stellantis to transform the automotive industry and re-invent the in-vehicle experience,” said Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon in a press release.
“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. Together, we will create the foundation for Stellantis to transform from a traditional automaker into a global leader in software-driven development and engineering.”
“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,” said Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis.
“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.”
