Stellantis Reports 2.7% Decline in Italy's New Car Sales in August

Italy's new car sales declined by 2.7% in August. Stellantis N.V., a leading global car manufacturer, saw its sales geographically distributed across various regions, with the Netherlands, North America, France, Brazil, and Italy being the top contributors. The company's product portfolio includes passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, luxury vehicles, automotive equipment, financing services, and after-sales services.

Stellantis N.V., a leading global car manufacturer, has paused its AutoDrive Level 3 self-driving program, opting instead to rely on suppliers for advanced driver-assistance technology. The decision comes amid falling sales and increasing costs, according to a Reuters report [1].

Originally, Stellantis planned to launch its AutoDrive system with Level 3 capability in 2024, in partnership with BMW. However, the debut was pushed to 2025 and ultimately not released. The company stated that the technology is ready for deployment but that there is currently limited market demand for Level 3 systems [1].

Three other sources reported that the program has effectively been shelved and is not expected to launch. Level 3 technology allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road under certain conditions, enabling activities such as reading, watching movies, or catching up on emails. Mercedes-Benz currently claims to be the first automaker with a legally approved Level 3 system [1].

The pause in Stellantis' software ambitions reflects broader struggles by legacy automakers to catch up to Tesla and Chinese EV makers, who have pioneered the smartphone-like approach of frequent over-the-air updates. The company's software push has been hampered by high costs, technological challenges, and organizational hurdles [1].

Stuart Taylor, chief product officer at consultancy Envorso, noted that automakers increasingly face the reality that they cannot develop everything in-house. Stellantis is now relying on aiMotive, a tech startup it acquired in 2022, to build the next generation of its advanced driver-assistance system [1].

Stellantis' new CEO, Antonio Filosa, is expected to unveil an updated strategy in early 2026 as the company navigates declining sales and a stock price that has fallen more than 40% over the past year [1].

References:
[1] https://teslanorth.com/2025/08/27/stellantis-scales-back-software-ambitions-halts-level-3-self-driving-rollout/