Cultural Shifts and Challenges Driven by the Revolution of Software-Defined Vehicles
The automotive sector is undergoing significant changes with the rise of software-defined vehicles (SDV), highlighting the need for partnerships, the adoption of digital engineering practices, and the hurdles that companies of all sizes encounter as they adjust to these new developments.
In our Software Defined Vehicle Partner POV mini-series with Accenture and PTC experts, Dr. Samit Ghosh, North American Engineering and Manufacturing Lead, Accenture's Industry X Business, and Andreas Pabinger, Global Head of Automotive – ALM, PTC, discuss with our host Chris Wolff, Vice President, Alliance Management, PTC, the above-mentioned topics and the latest automotive technology trends and how automotive software development is transforming the future of vehicle technology.
What cultural shifts and challenges does the SDV revolution drive?
This episode outlines the significant challenges and cultural shifts occurring in the automotive industry due to the rise of software-defined vehicles. It emphasizes the increasing complexity of automotive technologies, with a particular focus on the expansion of software capabilities and consumer expectations for features like over-the-air updates. European luxury automobile manufacturers are at the forefront of this transformation, adopting agile software development practices and cloud-based architectures to stay competitive.
The transition to software-defined vehicles necessitates a reevaluation of traditional methods, with successful companies prioritizing innovation, high-quality software, and responsiveness to market demands. This shift also involves a strategic approach to development alliances, which are essential for managing the complexity of software integration. However, forming and executing these alliances presents its own set of challenges, including the need for organizational changes, new talent, and updated processes and toolchains.
Samit Ghosh and Andreas Pabinger further discussed the difficulties larger companies face in adapting to a software-centric world, often hindered by legacy systems, while smaller companies may lack the resources for a digital engineering transformation. A significant cultural shift is required, moving from a mechanical focus to a software-centric approach, which demands engineers to embrace rapid development cycles, agility, and a continuous focus on software innovation.
“I feel the companies that have been around for such a long time, obviously the product of an automobile has been a mechanical thing, that’s how it all started. With the introduction of software, I think mechanical engineers, I'm one myself, it's not natural for us to think in software and zeros and ones, I think in Newton-meters and hardware. So, the whole shift of an entire organization from having these components and hardware system backgrounds, and the mentality of all the individual engineers right to, we'll have to behave like we're developing video games now. - Samit Ghosh
The first episode of our Software Defined Vehicle Partner POV Mini-series with Accenture highlights the need for agility, strategic partnerships, and a cultural realignment towards software-centric thinking to overcome the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities presented by software-defined vehicles in the automotive industry and more. Watch the full episode to hear experts discuss the latest automotive technology trends and how automotive software development is transforming the future of vehicle technology.