Stellantis and BMW join forces for the development of autonomous driving cars. This is reported by Stellantis’ during a presentation of the future plans in the software field. Stellantis is also working with tech company Foxconn on a new software architecture for EVs.
On Tuesday, Stellantis will explain what can be expected in the software field during ‘Software Day’. The group also reveals that BMW is joining Stellantis’ efforts to make partially self-driving cars a reality. Under the heading STLA AutoDrive, autonomous driving up to level 3 (whereby the driver only has to keep an eye on things and do nothing else) is made possible with cars from the concern and BMW will also be at the development table.
Ultimately, cars from both companies will therefore use the same software architecture. AutoDrive starts at level 2 autonomous driving and is updated over time via OTA updates to level 3. Furthermore, the plans are still fairly shrouded in mystery. The collaboration between BMW and Stellantis does not come out of the blue. BMW and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced in August 2017 that they wanted to work together towards autonomous cars. Fiat Chrysler has since merged with Groupe PSA to form Stellantis. The goal that was set at the time, fully autonomous cars in 2021, has not yet been fully achieved. The new goals with AutoDrive are also a bit more modest in nature.
Stellantis and BMW have another connecting factor: Foxconn. The Taiwanese tech company that Stellantis has been working with since this year in the field of connectivity. Essential for autonomous driving. Foxconn, in turn, has been linked to BMW over its goal of marketing BMW-based electric cars in Saudi Arabia. Foxconn plays an important role in this collaboration between Stellantis and BMW.
New software
Stellantis announces during ‘Software Day’ that it is working with Foxconn on STLA AutoDrive, but also on ‘STLA Brain’. The second is a new software architecture that will be implemented in the electric cars on the new dedicated EV platforms on which the first models will appear from 2024.
A part of STLA Brain is ‘STLA SmartCockpit’. In this way, according to Stellantis, ‘the digital lives of the occupants are seamlessly integrated into the car, in order to create a third living environment that can be completely adapted to your wishes’. Nice words, but what exactly does it mean? Count on further developed features such as navigation, a voice assistant and a ‘shopping environment’ on which additional options for the cars can be purchased. It should all feel as personal as possible and provide customization through the most recent artificial intelligence. Again, this can be found for the first time in the cars on the STLA platforms from 2024.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl