Amazon is bringing its Fire TV platform to the automotive sector for the first time in partnership with Jeep. The new Fire TV for Auto platform will make its debut on the new Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer SUVs that will go on sale next year.
The news was revealed by Jeep’s parent company Stellantis last week in a press release that focused on those vehicle’s respective entertainment systems and how Fire TV for Auto will be an integral part of them.
Stellantis said Fire TV for Auto can be accessed by both the driver and any passengers in the vehicle, providing access to movies, TV shows, apps and the Alexa digital assistant. Both vehicles will be equipped with a main Full HD resolution display at the front as well as passenger displays at the rear, built into the front seats. It also promised some “unique vehicle features” that can only be accessed via the TV platform.
Users will be able to sign into their Amazon Fire accounts and sync content across all of their Fire TV devices, which means they can pick up whatever show or movie they were watching at home and finish it during their journey. It also provides an option to download content ahead of time, and watch it on Fire TV for Auto and save on data charges. And safety is assured thanks to a privacy filter that prevents the unfortunate driver from being able to watch while operating the vehicle, though apparently they will be able to do so while it is parked up.
The Amazon Alexa integration provides access to in-car features such as the climate controls and maps too, and it can also connect to their home via Jeep’s Uconnect in-car connectivity system, so the driver could fire up the heating and switch on the living room lights just before they arrive home. There’s also a custom Fire TV remote complete with an Alexa remote.
“We reimagined Fire TV for the automobile with a purpose-built experience that delivers the best in entertainment, anywhere you go,” said Sandeep Gupta, Vice President and General Manager of Amazon Fire TV. “With Fire TV built in, customers can stream their favorite shows, see if they left the lights on at home with Alexa, and take advantage of unique controls through the Uconnect system.”
Jeep’s Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will go on sale in the U.S., Canada and Mexico on March 11 2020, but the Amazon Fire TV for Auto platform will be made available in the autumn. There’s no word yet on if the cars or the Fire TV for Auto platform will make it to the U.K. shores.
