Jeep "Freedom Connected" previews Stellattis, vigorously promote software services-Roadshow

2021-12-14 23:24:58 By : Ms. Linda Lin

Similar products tailored for each car manufacturer will provide buyers with more in-car services-reasonable prices

Being able to communicate between off-road vehicles without an active cellular connection can be very helpful.

Think about how many monthly subscriptions you currently have, whether it's grocery delivery, streaming entertainment, or cloud storage. Are you free to put more? Stellantis thinks you did this, and a new video from Jeep gives us a good idea of ​​how it looks.

During the Stellatis Software Day media conference, the car manufacturing group formerly known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles outlined its upcoming software and subscription services to provide customers with a deeper connection with their vehicles. The first product to get a correct preview came from Jeep, which released a Path Connected video to show how it works.

Jeep's mantra is not to follow the usual path, so it makes sense that its subscription products will follow these paths. It’s worth noting that the video comes with a series of exquisite words, pointing out that these functions are currently just concepts, but nothing here seems to be far-fetched; on the contrary, it is just a Jeep flavor of the kind of connectivity that we have seen. The expansion, it entered various cars.

There are also many interesting things here. The subscription service may provide a pre-loaded route map that is delivered directly to the infotainment system, eliminating the need to use the map in your hands or on your phone. Since many paths take you beyond cellular coverage, it also takes advantage of vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity, so you can ensure that everyone follows the same route closely.

It also mentions technologies that we have seen elsewhere in the industry. Over-the-air updates are now welcomed by almost all car manufacturers, giving people the opportunity to get new features or solve some bugs without having to waste time drinking coffee from the dealer. Even augmented reality is no longer in-vehicle science fiction; Mercedes-Benz currently offers an impressive AR HUD on its EQS and S-Class vehicles.

During the Software Day conference, Stellaantis discussed how other automakers use software (generally, not limited to subscriptions) to make people more aware of their cars-in some cases.

An example comes from Dodge, which was actually announced before the Software Day event. The automaker is reviving its Direct Connection performance component brand, which will include hardware and software upgrades for its vehicles. The kits will be arranged in phases, and Dodge promises that as long as the upgrade is handled through the OEM's new Dodge Power Brokers program, the Phase 2 kit example will increase by nearly 100 horsepower without violating emission compliance or undermining the factory warranty. When Power Brokers is scheduled to start launching on December 15, more information about Direct Connection will be provided.

Alfa Romeo has a similar focus on performance, although the focus is on handling rather than power, and it looks like it might offer similar software, despite the vague details available. As part of the Software Day event, Mamatha Chamarthi, senior vice president of software business and products at Stellattis, said: “The software will also enable Alfa Romeo to enhance sportiness and take the driver-centric experience to a new level.” “Yes. With the new Tonale, the infotainment cluster will become part of the new human-machine interface." We are not sure what to expect from that person. A spokesperson for Alfa Romeo declined to comment further on what was said in the speech.

Finally, there is Ram. "For our Ram pickup truck owners, customers can improve their trucks' ability to handle larger loads," Chamarthi said. This may leave far more questions than answers, because software alone usually cannot improve the truck's ability to handle physical loads. Perhaps it is similar to the upgrade program of Dodge direct connection. A Ram spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, so we may have to sit here until Ram is ready to provide more details.

Stellantis believes that its increased focus on software will bring some considerable benefits to the company. In his speech, Chamarthi stated that these efforts hope to increase annual revenue by about 4 billion euros by 2026 and about 20 billion euros by 2030.

But the plans mentioned above are just a few different ways that software and subscriptions can generate more revenue for automakers. Stellantis and other automakers are also studying post-event upgrades, such as instant upgrades of entertainment options in the cabin. Some OEMs even provide the ability to add embedded navigation after leaving the dealer.

Then there are subscriptions you may have experienced in your new car. Many automakers now provide interconnected services through in-vehicle cellular connections, and car owners can use apps to check the vehicle's lock status, fuel level, etc. Some of these programs also enable features that cannot be opened in other ways, such as remote startup.

Of course, if the idea of ​​subscribing to the things in the car is not enough, you can subscribe to the entire car at any time. Leasing and loans are no longer the only way to get a car. Many subscription plans, such as Volvo Care or Porsche Drive, offer monthly prices that cover not only the car itself, but also insurance and maintenance. Third parties have also begun to experiment with similar plans, such as Borrow's subscription service for pure electric vehicles in the Los Angeles area, or Hertz's My Car. Fortunately, we have broken down a lot of these subscription services for you to read.

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