Hyundai partners with Amazon to sell vehicles online

Hyundai will partner with US e-commerce company Amazon to sell cars online in North America from 2024.

Announced at the Los Angeles Motor Show, the strategic partnership means Hyundai will be the first car maker with vehicles available for purchase on the Amazon store.

Amazon, which specialises in retail shopping, is one of the largest companies in the world with $US524.9 billion in revenue in 2023.

The partnership means Amazon US shoppers will be able to search for Hyundai vehicles in their local area, based on criteria such as model, colour and trim level among other features.

There will also be finance options available as part of the process.

Once purchased, the vehicle can either be delivered directly to the customer or their chosen Hyundai dealership.

The collaboration also sees Amazon’s voice-activated digital assistant ‘Alexa’ will be integrated into Hyundai infotainment systems from 2025.

In addition to voice-activated functions within their car – such as real-time traffic reports and media – Hyundai owners will be able to access their Alexa system in their home from their vehicle.

This enables capabilities such as switching on air-conditioning or heating before arriving home or double-checking the garage and front doors are locked.

Hyundai also used the Los Angeles show to confirm Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its ‘preferred cloud provider’ as the car maker says it will become more ‘data-driven’.

In a statement, Hyundai said it will work with AWS on data storage, generative artificial intelligence (AI) and internet-of-things (IoT) to streamline manufacturing and supply chain operations, as well as connected vehicle development.

Amazon’s shopping websites are country-specific, meaning there is no confirmation on if or when Australian customers will be able to buy a Hyundai on the Australian Amazon store.