Amazon is partnering with automakers to expand the eyeballs viewing programming on their popular Fire TV streaming and live TV digital media player. The company is partnering with BMW and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to add Fire TV to a variety of vehicles.
“Adding Fire TV to future BMW vehicles represents a big step in bringing the best of streamed entertainment to our products,” said Fathi El-Dwaik, Vice President User Interaction, Business Line My Car and Business Line My Life,
BMW Group. “With Amazon’s approach, and with the help of Garmin, we are able to innovate and create a unique and special experience for BMW cars, providing the consistency of content and customer experience that Fire TV provides in the home. We look forward to working closely with Amazon to bring Fire TV to future vehicles.”
The online retailer is touting the ability to drivers to utilize their Alexa voice assistant product hands-free in the vehicles alongside a touch screen with offline capability and playback to experience Fire TV content. Users will be able to enjoy shows recorded with Fire TV Recast or saved locally on a Fire TV device.
The devices will be able to stream content via the vehicle’s Wi-Fi or LTE connection.
It is likely that the Fire TV capability will only be available to second-row screens. BMW and FCA haven’t said which vehicles the technology will debut in but it’s likely to be crossovers and minivans, which are inherently more family-friendly.
FCA is the parent company of the Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Ram, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo auto brands. BMW’s brands include BMW, Rolls-Royce, and Mini.
There is no word yet on whether of not the technology will expand to PSA vehicles when FCA and PSA complete their merger.