Hyundai and Amazon announce online automotive sales partnership…AI assistant ‘Alexa’ to be available in new cars starting in 2025.

Hyundai Motor and Amazon announced a comprehensive and strategic partnership to provide innovative and new experiences to customers at the 2023 LA Auto Show held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in the U.S. on the 16th (local time).

The partnership includes online car sales on Amazon, selection of Amazon Web Services as the cloud-first provider for digital innovation, and the installation of Amazon’s AI assistant ‘Alexa’ in future Hyundai cars, among other areas of cooperation.

Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, said, “Hyundai Motor is an innovative company that can share Amazon’s passion for making customers’ lives better and easier. This partnership should play its role in allowing customers to easily purchase cars online, use Alexa in the car for entertainment, shopping, smart home control, and schedule checking, and innovate customer experience and business operation by transferring data to Amazon Web Services. We look forward to developing various business models with Hyundai Motor in the future.”

Hyundai Motor President Jang Jae-hoon said, “The cooperation with Amazon, one of the most customer-centric companies in the world, is an opportunity to expand Hyundai Motor’s business and sales network and accelerate the transition to electrification, thereby realizing the future of smart mobility.

He added, “Amazon is an ideal partner to realize Hyundai Motor’s vision of ‘progress for humanity’ where people and goods move in a more efficient and sustainable way. Hyundai Motor is the first car company where the entire purchase process from vehicle selection to receipt is possible on Amazon, which is a testament to Hyundai Motor’s continuous efforts to enhance customer experience with Amazon.”

The details announced by Hyundai Motor and Amazon are as follows.

– Online Car Sales

Firstly, Hyundai Motor and Amazon will sell Hyundai cars through Amazon in the U.S. from 2024 through this business agreement. Hyundai Motor is the first brand that customers can buy cars from on Amazon.

Through this new digital shopping experience, customers can easily buy cars anywhere and receive them at dealers at their desired time or at home.

Customers can find cars available for purchase in the area they want to buy according to various options such as model, trim, color, and features, and can go through the entire car purchase process from selecting payment and financing options to making payment on Amazon.

Dealers can increase their awareness and provide convenience to customers through online car sales.

– Data Innovation

Hyundai Motor has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS), which boasts the highest level of recognition in the cloud computing field, as the cloud-first provider for overall innovation in data management including computation, storage, management and operation, analysis, artificial intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT).

Hyundai Motor will transition the operation of all data from the current on-premises form to AWS, a cloud form, to become a more data-centric company.

Hyundai Motor will first apply AWS to production optimization, manufacturing and supply chain management, security and disaster recovery, and connected car development.

Hyundai Motor and Amazon have created an education and certification program to educate Hyundai Motor’s researchers on cloud technology.

– In-Car Solutions

Hyundai Motor plans to install Amazon’s AI assistant Alexa in new cars launched in the U.S. from 2025.

Customers can ask Alexa to play music, podcasts, audiobooks, set notifications, modify schedules, check calendars, etc.

They can also request various smart home functions such as warming up the house while driving home, checking if the front door is locked, and controlling the lighting.

In addition, customers can request Alexa for the latest traffic information updates or weather forecasts, and they can control the in-car media player or navigation system by voice through Alexa. Some functions can be used even when the internet connection is unstable or unavailable.

-MOTORDAILY-