Italian carmaker Alfa Romeo is also getting into non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and it’s not doing things by halves. By integrating NFT technology into one of its future vehicles, it is paving the way for a use case that could revolutionise the industry
Alfa Romeo embraces non-fungible tokens (NFTs)
It’s a first in automotive history, the Tonale, Alfa Romeo’s new SUV will have its service book replaced by a non-fungible token (NFT). The vehicle is due to be launched on June 4th in Europe and by the end of the year/early 2023 for the rest of the world.
A world exclusive: the new Tonale is the first car ever to equip a NFT digital certificate, an innovation meant to keep your value safe through time, discover more https://t. co/u31ZNKAhlu AlfaRomeoTonale LaMetamorfosi pic.twitter.com/gsUZwLj2J2
– Alfa Romeo (@alfa_romeo) February 9, 2022
For those of you who are skeptical, the consent of the vehicle owner will be required for the activation of this new technology, as the Italian brand is keen to point out:
“After the customer’s consent, the NFT will record the vehicle’s data, generating a certificate that can be used as a guarantee of the car’s general condition, with a positive impact on its residual value. “
According to the global head of marketing and communication, Francesco Calcara, the electronic console sends its data on the non-fungible token to anchor it in the blockchain. This is a huge added value for the maintenance follow-up of the vehicle, but also for the resale on the second-hand market, as no fraud is possible.
Although it is not related to the blockchain world, it is interesting to note that the SUV will have Alexa integrated. This will allow the owner with Alexa Home to request information from the vehicle directly from home, such as fuel level. In the future, it is also planned to use the car’s boot as a delivery address for Amazon orders.
Unfortunately, we have no information about Alfa Romeo’s partner for the integration of this NFT technology
NFTs at the heart of a technological revolution
While the general public may not yet understand the significance of this innovation, it’s easy to speculate on what will happen in the future, now that Alfa Romeo has laid the foundation stone. An NFT that records everything securely could, for example, replace an accident report, if both vehicles allow it.
Although the use of blockchain in the automotive sector is not new – BMW, Ford and Honda, for example – the direct integration of an NFT into a vehicle is unprecedented.
Beyond the artistic aspect, NFTs offer almost infinite use cases. Among others, the Coachella festival recently announced a partnership with FTX to sell tickets in the form of non-fungible tokens. No doubt we will see other integrations in the future that are just as innovative as Alfa Romeo’s.
