The automaker said it can now create “virtual reality versions of systems and controls in cars, making them behave as they would in a real car without changing the core software”, shortening development times from “months on end” to “within 24 hours” for some cases.
Stellantis, the world’s third largest automaker by sales volume, partnered with Amazon in 2022 to use its Amazon Web Services cloud service to develop software products for cars and provide regular over-the-air updates.
“With the virtual cockpit, we are not only revolutionizing the company’s approach, but also changing how suppliers and partners in the industry operate,” said Yves Bonnefont, Stellantis’ software chief. “We can get closer to customer needs with this technology and a faster development cycle”.
Traditional automakers are under pressure to accelerate vehicle development cycles from Chinese electric car brands – brands that are able to introduce many new models in a short period of time.
Chinese electric car companies are also at the forefront of producing in-car software and infotainment, turning cars into four-wheeled “smartphones”.
Using tools developed by BlackBerry, Stellantis said the virtual platform is “almost no different” between the system running in the cloud and the actual hardware.
The Canadian tech company was once focused on selling hardware and devices, but has shifted to enterprise software and security businesses for many years.
Stellantis said the new technology helps accelerate customer feedback on a particular brand or model line, from which they can “change in real time to optimize the driver experience”.
