It’s Chrysler’s vision for your future car interior TechCrunch

A year ago at CES in Las Vegas, Stellantis showed the world what a Chrysler EV could look like – a transformation that will happen by 2028 when it becomes an all-electric brand.

Now we have a glimpse of the company’s vision for future car cabins. The result ? Chrysler, the 97-year-old brand of global automaker Stellantis, wants its in-car technology to make “real life” easier.

The brand is showing its vision at CES 2023 through Chrysler Synthesis, a two-seater demonstration of in-car technology and how drivers and passengers could use it. As part of the demonstration, the company has created a typical day in this future automotive life that includes a virtual personal assistant that uses biometric recognition, automated driving that allows the driver to make video calls and entertainment experiences and well-being such as mediation, games and karaoke. There’s even a feature that lets customers create and synthesize their own music

While this may be a design exercise to engage consumers and shareholders, the core technology is integral to Stellantis’ strategy. Stellantis announced that it will invest more than $33.7 billion through 2025 in software and electrification. The end goal is to have 34 million connected cars on the road by 2030 that Stellantis can generate revenue for years after they are sold to consumers.

To achieve this lofty goal, Stellantis is developing three components that will be integrated into future products, starting with the underlying electrical and software architecture called STLA Brain. This underlying system is cloud-integrated which connects the vehicle’s electronic control units to the vehicle’s high-performance central computer via a high-speed data bus. This will allow the company to upgrade vehicle software “over the air” or wirelessly.

In addition to this “brain”, Stellantis will add its “SmartCockpit”, a platform built in partnership with Foxconn which will provide driver applications such as navigation, voice assistance, e-commerce market and payment services. . A third automated driving platform called “AutoDrive”, developed with BMW, will complete the manufacturer’s software plan.

These three platforms will be in new Stellantis vehicles by 2024.

Visitors to CES 2023 can see the “brain”, “intelligent cockpit” and “automatic driving” in action thanks to the Chrysler Synthesis concept, which includes a 37.2-inch sculpted black glass infotainment screen for both front row occupants. The two-seater cockpit, inspired by the Chrysler Airflow Concept unveiled last year and which represents the brand’s future design direction, is equipped with durable materials. No chrome allowed.

The suspended vegan seats are wrapped in a soft chrome-free upholstery recycled in the Arctic, the dashboard is constructed from 100% post-industrial plastics and ocean plastics, and the flooring is walnut “from responsible origin. LED lighting completes the look.

However, the real good featured in the Chrysler Synthesis is the software.

Software in the Chrysler Synthesis – and theoretically, future Chrysler vehicles – includes a virtual personal assistant, the ability to learn owner behaviors and preferences, and frequent over-the-air software updates to deliver new and fresh content.

The assistant is designed to make daily life easier, such as installing updates and synchronizing with calendars for planning schedules and routes, enabling multitasking while driving independently, recommending parking options and charging, helping with e-commerce services, connecting to appliances and smart homes. (It should be noted that Tesla vehicles, newer Mercedes models with the MBUX infotainment system, and other vehicle models have some of these “smart” features).

Chrysler is also considering a more automated driving future. The Chrysler Synthesis demonstrates so-called Level 3 automated driving that allows the driver to keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes off the road.