Amazon will sell Hyundai vehicles via its U.S. site.
Dan Berthiaume|Senior Editor, Technology
Source: chainstoreage.com, November 2023
Consumers will soon be able to buy cars on Amazon.
Starting in 2024, auto dealers for the first time will be able to sell vehicles on Amazon’s U.S. online store. Hyundai will be the first brand available for customers to purchase, with more brands to follow. (In 2024, Hyundai naming Amazon Web Services as its preferred cloud provider, and the Alexa Built-in car-based digital experience coming to Hyundai’s next-generation vehicles.)
Under Amazon’s partnership with Hyundai, customers will be able to purchase a new car online, and then pick it up or have it delivered by their local dealership. Customers will be able to search on Amazon for available vehicles in their area based on a range of preferences, including model, trim, color, and other features. After choosing a car, customers can check out on Amazon using their preferred payment and financing method.
The partnership follows Amazon’s January 2022 agreement to deploy its technology and solutions, including Amazon Devices, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Amazon Last Mile, across the organization and vehicles of Italy-based automotive conglomerate Stellantis (parent of U.S. auto brands including Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep).
“Hyundai is a very innovative company that shares Amazon’s passion for trying to make customers’ lives better and easier every day,” said Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. “Our broad, strategic partnership should do just that, from changing the ease with which customers can buy vehicles online, to making it simple to use Alexa in Hyundai vehicles for entertainment, shopping, smart home adjustments, and calendar checks, to enabling Hyundai to transform their customer experiences and business operations by moving to AWS. We look forward to inventing together for many years.”
In-Vehicle Solutions: Amazon and Hyundai are also collaborating in other ways. Starting in 2025, customers who purchase Hyundai’s next-generation vehicles will have access to a hands-free Amazon Alexa voice assistant experience while in their car. Hyundai drivers will be able to ask Alexa to play music, podcasts, or audiobooks, set reminders, update to-do lists, and check calendars.
Customers will also be able to control their Alexa smart home devices from the road, such as asking to warm up the house on their way home, double-checking doors are locked, and managing smart lighting and Alexa routines.
Drivers will also be able to ask Alexa for up-to-date traffic updates or weather reports and voice-control the in-vehicle media player or navigation system—with certain Alexa features accessible when internet connectivity is intermittent or not available.
“Partnering with one of the world’s most customer-centric organizations unlocks incredible opportunities as we continue to expand our portfolio, grow our sales network, transition to electrification and realize the future of smart mobility,” said president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company Jaehoon (Jay) Chang. “Amazon is the ideal partner to help realize our vision of progress for humanity, including improving how people and goods move more efficiently and sustainably. Hyundai is the first automotive company available for full end-to-end transactions in Amazon’s U.S. store and this is another example of how we continue to push for ways to elevate the customer journey together with our outstanding retail partners.”
