Stellantis has partnered with Chinese electronics giant Foxconn to form Mobile Drive, a 50:50 joint venture which will see the two firms collaborate on infotainment and in-vehicle connectivity offerings.
Crucially, the two firms said, the deal is aimed at “accelerating development timelines to bring innovative in-vehicle user experiences enabled by advanced consumer electronics, HMI interfaces and services that will exceed customer expectations”.
The collaboratively created infotainment systems will be “seamlessly connected inside and outside the vehicles in which they are installed”. They will also provide new revenue streams for Stellantis and Foxconn, by offering instant over-the-air upgrades and optional vehicle features.
Foxconn will supply infotainment systems to Stellantis as part of the deal, but will also offer its technical platforms for wider use by other automotive manufacturers. Mobile Drive will bid to supply infotainment systems and related hardware to any “interested” brands.
The move comes 100 days after the official formation of Stellantis from the merger of PSA Group and FCA, and in recognition of the fact, said CEO Carlos Tavares, that “the vehicles of the future will be increasingly software-driven and software-defined”.
The two firms will share development of the Mobile Drive venture, which will be headquartered in the Netherlands.
Felix Page