Car industry German car companies want to counter tech giants
Major car manufacturers want to counter the advance of tech companies such as Google in car manufacturing. Eleven companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and use open software for future generations of vehicles.
24.06.2025, 14:14
24.06.2025, 17:07
SDA
The signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding include car manufacturers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz Group and Volkswagen Group as well as leading suppliers such as Bosch, Continental and ZF Friedrichshafen.
Software under the hood makes no tangible difference
Marcus Bollig, Managing Director of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), pointed out that a considerable amount of the vehicle software cannot be directly experienced by the user and therefore does not contribute to the differentiation between the various brands and vehicle types. "This fact makes it possible to jointly develop the corresponding software components in an open and collaborative ecosystem."
The VDA brought the initial signatories to the table. However, companies outside of the VDA will also be able to participate in the open source platform, including players from Europe, China, the USA and other automotive nations.
Ambitious timetable
The initiative's timetable envisages that the software scope for the series development of a platform for autonomous driving will be available as early as 2026. The modular software scope can be adapted or supplemented and then made available to the industry for series development.
"This allows manufacturers and suppliers to focus on differentiating functions while basic components are maintained jointly," the VDA stated. This creates a strong foundation for innovation - and the freedom to focus on what makes the difference for the customer.
The transition to a "Software Defined Vehicle", the vehicle defined by programs, poses major challenges for the German automotive industry in particular. The Volkswagen Group, for example, has had difficulties coping with this change.
At the same time, companies such as Google are pushing into the automotive market. The internet giant from the USA is working with car manufacturers such as Volvo, Renault, Ford, General Motors and Mitsubishi to integrate its Android Automotive OS (AAOS) car operating system and Google Automotive Services (GAS) into production vehicles. These services include applications such as Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Play Store.
