Hyundai to sell cars on Amazon from next year… targeting US consumers with ‘speed’.

(From left) Matt Malik, Vice President of Global Enterprise Business Development at Amazon, and Hyundai Motor’s Global COO Jose Munoz announcing the partnership.ⓒHyundai Motor

Hyundai Motor is partnering with Amazon to launch new customer services. Starting next year, cars will be sold online through Amazon in the United States, and familiar Amazon services, such as the AI assistant, will be installed in vehicles for American consumers.

Hyundai Motor announced on the 17th that it has announced a broad and strategic partnership with Amazon at the ‘2023 LA Auto Show’ held at the LA Convention Center in the United States on the 16th (local time), to provide customers with innovative and new experiences.

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

Hyundai Motor’s 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’s business and sales network and accelerate the transition to electrification, thus realizing the future of smart mobility.”

Firstly, Hyundai Motor and Amazon will sell Hyundai’s vehicles through Amazon in the United States from 2024 through this business agreement. Hyundai is the first brand that allows customers to purchase vehicles on Amazon.

Customers can go through the entire process of car purchase on Amazon, from finding a vehicle available for purchase in the area they want to buy, according to various selection options such as model, trim, color, and features, to selecting and paying for payment and financing options. Dealers can increase their recognition and provide convenience to customers through online car sales.

(From left) Matt Malik, Vice President of Global Enterprise Business Development at Amazon, and Hyundai Motor’s Global COO Jose Munoz taking a commemorative photo next to the All New Santa Fe after announcing the partnership.ⓒHyundai Motor

Also, as a result of this strategic partnership, Hyundai Motor has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS), which boasts the highest level of recognition in the field of cloud computing, as its cloud-first provider.

Hyundai Motor will become a more data-centric company by changing the operation method of all data from research and development to customer response from the current on-premises form to AWS, which is a cloud form. Hyundai Motor will first apply AWS to production optimization, manufacturing and supply chain management, security and disaster recovery, and connected car development.

In addition, Hyundai Motor plans to install Amazon’s AI assistant ‘Alexa’ in new cars launched in the United States 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 features such as warming up the house or checking if the front door is locked and controlling the lighting while driving home.

Moreover, customers can ask 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 features can be used even when the internet connection is unstable or unavailable.

President Jang said, “Hyundai Motor is the first car company where the entire purchase process from vehicle selection to receipt is possible on Amazon, and this shows that Hyundai Motor is continuously pursuing ways to enhance customer experience with Amazon.”