Stellantis NV and Hon Hai Technology Group (aka Foxconn) and its subsidiary FIH Mobile Ltd., have announced the forming of Mobile Drive, a 50/50 joint venture aimed at accelerating market introduction for the most advanced in-car and connected-car technologies in the industry. The partners hope to create in-vehicle user experiences—enabled by advanced consumer electronics, HMIs (human-machine interfaces), and services—that will exceed customer expectations.
“Today, there’s something that matters just as much as beautiful design or innovative technology; it’s how the features inside our vehicles improve the lives of our customers,” said Carlos Tavares, Chief Executive Officer, Stellantis. “Software is a strategic move for our industry, and Stellantis intends to lead with Mobile Drive, a company that will enable the swift development of connectivity features and services that mark the next great evolution of our industry, just as electrification technology has.”
Mobile Drive will combine Stellantis’ global vehicle design and engineering expertise with Foxconn’s global development in the software and hardware realms of smartphones and consumer electronics.
Established in Taiwan in 1974, Foxconn is the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, making a number of high-profile consumer products like Apple’s iPhone. The company has also become a leading technological solution provider, leveraging its expertise in software and hardware to integrate manufacturing systems with emerging technologies. Its FIH unit offers vertically integrated, end-to-end design, development, and manufacturing services spanning handsets, mobile, wireless communication devices, and consumer electronics products.
“The vehicles of the future will be increasingly software-driven and software-defined,” said Young-way Liu, Chairman of Foxconn. “Customers today and, in the future, demand and expect ever-increasing software-driven and creative solutions to connect the drivers and passengers with the vehicle inside and out. Mobile Drive will meet and exceed these expectations with teams of designers and software and hardware engineers. This is a natural extension of Foxconn’s global leadership in the development and application of smart technologies to improve the quality of life of consumers around the world.”
All development by Mobile Drive will be co-owned by Stellantis and Foxconn. The Netherlands-based joint venture will operate as an automotive supplier, bidding to supply software solutions and related hardware for Stellantis and other interested automakers.
“Leveraging Foxconn’s extensive knowledge of user experience and software development in mobile ecosystems, Mobile Drive will offer the disruptive smart-cockpit solution that will seamlessly integrate the automobile into the driver’s mobile-centric lifestyle,” said Calvin Chih, Chief Executive Officer, FIH.
Mobile Drive will focus on infotainment, telematics, and cloud service platform development with software innovations expected to include artificial intelligence-based applications, 5G communication, upgraded over-the-air services, e-commerce opportunities, and smart cockpit integrations.
“With this partnership, we will push the boundaries in connected-car technology and bring immersive experiences yet to be imagined,” said Yves Bonnefont, Chief Software Officer, Stellantis. “Mobile Drive ultimately gives us the agility we need to provide the digital experience of the future at the speed our customers demand.”
At CES 2020, the Airflow Vision design concept, a joint effort of Foxconn and Stellantis, gave a preview of how the two would partner in the future. The concept demonstrated the thinking of both companies for the next-generation user experience for premium transportation.
It looked at how customers with an on-the-go lifestyle and desires for first-class travel experiences could balance their technology needs within a serene environment. The user experience played a prominent role in the design, which used the dimensions and flat-load floor of the Chrysler Pacifica PHEV. Multi-layered, high-contrast graphics and “thoughtful” details provided a clean, sophisticated appearance.
The Stellantis partnership represents just one of many deals for Foxconn since it invited the automotive industry into its MIH Alliance open-platform EV initiative in October 2020 during Hon Hai Tech Day. Since then, the company said it has received an overwhelming number of inquiries to join its movement—and it has since gone public with a number of automotive partnerships.
In January, Byton, Foxconn Technology Group, and Nanjing Development Zone officially signed a strategic cooperation framework to accelerate the production of Byton’s first model, the M-Byte, by the first quarter of 2022. Foxconn is providing its expertise in advanced manufacturing technology, operational management experience, and is sharing industrial resources to support production.
The Byton deal “will allow us to contribute toward the further growth of the EV industry, a demonstration of our commitment in the transformation of the traditional automotive industry,” said Liu.
That same month, Geely Holding and Foxconn Technology Group announced a joint venture to provide OEM production and consulting services to third parties around whole vehicles, parts, intelligent drive systems, automotive ecosystem platforms, and the EV industry value chain. They expect the JV to help automakers accelerate their transition to innovative and efficient manufacturing processes and business models based on CASE (connected, autonomous, shared, and electrified) technologies.
“This alliance between Geely Holding and Foxconn represents a milestone in the cooperation between the automotive industry and the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) industry,” said Liu.
And just last week, Fisker Inc. and Foxconn announced agreements supporting joint development and manufacturing related to Project PEAR (Personal Electric Automotive Revolution), a program to develop a new breakthrough electric vehicle intended to start at under $30,000.
Fisker and Foxconn will jointly invest in Project PEAR, with each company taking proceeds from the delivery of the program. Fisker will work with Foxconn on a new lightweight platform called FP28, leveraging technological expertise from each company to support Project PEAR and potential future vehicles.
“Our work with Fisker aligns with our corporate 3+3 platform, and thanks to our MIH Alliance, Foxconn will be able to work with suppliers from across the world for Project PEAR,” said Liu. “We have world-class supply chains in place to support Project PEAR—in particular, securing the reliable delivery of chipsets and semiconductors.”
The company’s expertise in consumer electronics production and technology is paying off for its new mobility customers.
