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Stellantis Investigating Multi-access Edge Computing for Use in Future Vehicles

In the future, drivers of Stellantis vehicles could employ technology that reacts far more quickly that current driver-assist systems thanks to the use of Multi-access Edge Computing, or MEC. 

Stellantis is investigating its use in vehicle-to-everything connectivity, vehicle monitors, and systems that respond to nearby emergency vehicles or other hazardous situations.

The automaker is currently investing it’s use in its vehicles sold in North America for the simplest of reasons: greater connectivity speed. 

That’s great, but what is Multi-access Edge Computing?

MEC performs a cloud-based service that moves an application’s analytics and processing closer to the customer. 

Apps and services requiring connectivity are far more responsive since they go to the edge of a network for processing, rather than back to a core cloud center. This allows for near-real or real-time results. This also allows the computer network to be optimized for high data transmission with little delay, or latency. 

Since the apps run locally, they can run independently from the rest of the network — even autonomously if disconnected from a cloud core. And MEC can work with 5G. So, perfecting this technology is another key step towards autonomous mobility.

“Improved hardware and expanded software expertise have opened new opportunities for Stellantis with safety systems being one of the many areas we focus on,” said Mamatha Chamarthi, head of Software Business and Product Management, in a statement. 

“Through smart and strategic partnerships, we will capitalize on next-generation systems and prove out the technology.”

Partnerships are key to the program’s success

Stellantis is working with the 5G Automotive Association to validate MEC’s adaptability to a cellular 5G network. The group is a global, cross-industry organization of automotive, technology, and telecommunications companies jointly investigating future transportation mobility technology. 

Founded in 2016 by Audi AG, BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, Nokia, and Qualcomm, 5GAA has grown to a cooperative venture involving more than 130 companies. 

Intel, Verizon, Harman, Altran, Telus and American Tower are among the companies cooperating with Stellantis on this venture. Testing is taking place at the University of Michigan’s Mcity Test Facility, although Stellantis is looking to expand the program the cooperation of the Michigan Department of Transportation.

What it means for Stellantis

For Stellantis, MEC could collect data from red light or speed cameras to notify the driver about what they can’t see, such as upcoming driving hazards, pedestrians or approaching emergency vehicles. Such notifications are a result of Stellantis engineers working with HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud, a digital warning system that triggers when an emergency vehicle activates their lights. The alert would come through the vehicle’s Uconnect system. 

Initial testing is being done with a pair of Uconnect-equipped 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrids, as well as vehicles Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles equipped with Uconnect dating back to 2018.

The company stated the new technology will reach consumers once test results are in but didn’t say how long that would be.

Stellantis Enjoys Warm Welcome from European Investors

Stellantis Chairman John Elkann is meeting with the media tomorrow to talk about the company’s future.

Not every merger involving an automaker these days involves a blank-check company. The newly minted tie-up between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and Peugeot S.A. was finalized over the weekend and the resulting company, Stellantis N.V., is enjoying a warm welcome.

At least on the stock market.

The new company’s stock trades on three exchanges and it finished the day on the Paris exchange up nearly 7%, closing at €13.14. It also jumped up 7.7% on the Milan exchange.

The New York Stock Exchange, the third exchange it’s traded on, was not open today due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

(Chrysler is no more as Stellantis comes to life.)

CEO Carlos Tavares has a lot on his corporate plate now that the merger is complete.

The $52 billion merger of near equals creates a massive enterprise with operations on six continents, employs about 400,000 people, sells – at least for the time being – 14 vehicle brands and sells 8.1 million vehicles annually, making it the fourth-largest automaker in the world behind Volkswagen, Toyota and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

With all of those possibilities, it’s going to take a press conference Tuesday to start revealing what Stellantis will look like now that’s it’s a living, breathing entity. What brands will stay? How many workers will keep their jobs?

People are nervous because the CEO of the new enterprise, Carlos Tavares, has a history of being fearless when it comes to eliminating unprofitable operations and processes in the pursuit of corporate profit. One need only look at how what he did with former General Motors’ subsidiary Opel. A money-loser for a decade, he had it in the black in one year.

(FCA CEO Manley gets new assignment following Stellantis merger.)

“Stellantis faces a mixed outlook as U.S. stimulus plans may buoy Chrysler vs. a more uncertain outlook for Peugeot in Europe,” Michael Dean, BI automotive analyst told Bloomberg. “Former PSA CEO Carlos Tavares takes the helm and, similar to his handling of PSA’s takeover of Opel in 2017, we anticipate a new strategy in the first 100 days of his stewardship. All regions face a difficult 1H amid continued lockdowns.”

Quirky name aside, investors gave Stellantis a warm welcome when it began trading Monday.

The two companies have worked to allay fears of major cutbacks in France and Italy. While top managers have outlined plans to trim costs by $6 billion following the merger, they insist they will be able to do that without closing any plants. They have outlined 40% of those cost savings coming from purchasing, 40% from combining product development efforts, and 20% from marketing and other operations.

However, it’s unclear how Tavares plans to tackle other issues such as improving the company’s performance in China, the world’s largest automotive market, and bolstering its electrification efforts, especially in the aforementioned China as well as in the U.S. Just addressing those two issues are likely to require billions of dollars and euros. Some of plans for these things and more may get touched on Tuesday, Marco Santino, a partner at consulting firm Oliver Wyman, told Reuters.

(Fiat Chrysler and PSA not exactly a “merger of equals.”)

“He has proven to be the kind of person who prefers action to words, so I don’t think he will make loud statements or try to over-sell targets,” he said.

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