Amazon is taking big and silent steps in the automotive sector, and we’re not talking so much about its massive sales of car products ranging from motor oils manufactured by the same company, to new cars in its Amazon Vehicles section.
First, he invests millions in autonomous car startups, then invests millions in electric car startups and now hires a GM executive , what is he up to?
While the corporation in charge of Jeff Bezos has not declared anything official about his plans for the future in the car sector, different actions and movements by the company tell us that maybe he is planning to get into the business of vehicle production , or at least build some to deliver packages with autonomous technology.
Here we present three reasons that show that Amazon is already one step away from manufacturing vehicles, although we do not know with what intention, based on events that have happened this 2019.
Amazon invests millions in autonomous car startups
A company of autonomous cars that was founded by ex-executives of Google, Tesla and Uber announced on February 7 that it received an investment of $ 530 million, mostly from Amazon and other companies like Sequoia, to continue with their project .
The company, which is only two years old, wants that, as well as many other car brands, autonomous cars to be safer and available on roads in a not too distant time.
However, Aurora does not plan to build its own vehicles, like other companies, rather it is working with the Hyundai brands, Volkswagen and a Chinese car brand known as Byton to create its driving system without the need for a driver.
Amazon could have joined this project with the purpose of making home deliveries, which it has already tried to do with drones before.
Amazon invests millions in electric vehicle startup
American electric car brand Rivian, best known for advertising the first all-electric pickup (R1T), announced last week that it had received an investment of $ 700 million from the Amazon corporation.
Rivian, who has plans to launch its new models in 2020, is positioned as one of the new competitors of electric cars wanting to take the same course as the Tesla car brand. The Illinois-based brand became popular for its futuristic pickup truck designs, which Tesla has not announced yet.
Amazon could have joined this project with the purpose of making home deliveries, which it has already tried to do with drones before. However, his most recent investment in Rivian suggests that the company is taking an interest in the automotive technology sector. On the other hand, CNBC argues that Amazon could grow a global network of logistics needs with vehicles.
Amazon hires General Motors senior executive
A source close to the delivery company told AFP that Amazon hired a high ranking executive belonging to the General Motors car brand this week.
Alicia Bolder Davis, who was the owner of GM’s global production, will allegedly join the Amazon team, possibly to expand her autonomous car business.
In a statement, Amazon said that Davis had decided to leave his 25-year position in the massive Detroit-based company to “look for other opportunities.”