Three years of hype, millions in development costs, and zero cars with the promised “SmartCockpit” to show for it. Amazon and Stellantis just confirmed their ambitious in-car software partnership is officially “winding down”—corporate speak for “this thing crashed harder than your Wi-Fi during a Netflix binge.”
The SmartCockpit was supposed to be your car’s brain upgrade—one of the technologies that would simplify your daily life. Imagine, your Jeep recognizing you as you approach, automatically cranking the AC to your preferred 68 degrees, queuing up your Spotify playlists, and even turning on your porch lights before you get home. Sweet concept, terrible execution.
Unlike Tesla, which has very little complexity across its smaller lineup of vehicles, Stellantis manages dozens of models across 14 brands and a maze of global suppliers. That’s the real kicker here. Tesla builds software for Tesla cars. Stellantis had to make Amazon’s tech work across everything from a basic Dodge to a luxury Maserati. Good luck with that.
Ford just axed their next-gen software architecture too, citing “ballooning costs.” Automotive software has emerged as one of the most important and difficult areas for legacy automakers to nail. Turns out writing code for cars is slightly more complex than your average mobile app.
Here’s what went wrong: Stellantis wanted Amazon’s slick software magic but couldn’t simplify their mess first. Most of Amazon’s Digital Cabin staff have been reassigned or left the company. When Amazon quietly shuffles your team to other projects, that’s not a good sign.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Stellantis. The company’s stock fell about 40% in 2024, amid disappointing sales, especially in North America. Their former CEO, Carlos Tavares, bailed last year, and they’re scrambling to find their footing against Tesla and Chinese EV makers.
Don’t worry, though—your Stellantis vehicle will still get basic Alexa voice commands and Amazon’s cloud services for updates. Just don’t expect your Ram pickup to start your dishwasher anytime soon. Stellantis could potentially continue work on the SmartCockpit with another operating system as its base, such as Google’s Android platform.
The real lesson? Legacy automakers talk a big game about becoming “tech companies,” but most still can’t handle the software complexity that makes Tesla owners feel smug at traffic lights. Your connected car fantasy isn’t dead—it’s just stuck in automotive development hell until someone finally figures out how to make old-school car manufacturing work with Silicon Valley speed. Place your bets now on who cracks the code first.
