Software sets automakers apart in an electrified automotive world

It’s now widely recognized that software holds the key to building brand loyalty and product differentiation in an electrified world where vehicles are increasingly built from commodity components.

Agustin Almansi, VNC Automotive’s Sales Engineering Director, outlines how the industry is changing, the challenges that are still to be resolved, and offers insight into how open software and standards can help auto manufacturers.

In the past, car makers distinguished themselves through their hardware, whether that was the performance of their engines, the design of the body, or even their careful selection of materials. But with the development of fully-electric vehicles, key components such as motors and batteries have become commoditized, reducing opportunities for manufacturers to differentiate their offerings while simultaneously levelling the playing field and removing barriers to entry for new competitors.

Established automotive players have had to quickly ramp-up their own in-house development capability, while also pivoting away from the largely low-level software of the past to a more connected ecosystem that draws inspiration from the smartphone and gaming industries.

“Younger generations are now making their buying decisions not just on a car’s physical attributes, but also how easy it is to connect their smartphone, whether it allows them to use their Apple Music account, and so on. As a result, vehicle OEMs are now more focused on the functionality of the user experience, and that's forced them to start using software as a way to differentiate themselves from their competitors,” outlines Agustin Almansi, VNC Automotive’s Sales Engineering Director.

Almansi explains how much of this work has been built on open source software and open standards, aiding interoperability and supporting its adoption. In a world where customers are more demanding than ever before, increasingly expecting features such as remote preconditioning and regular over-the-air updates, crafting an intuitive user experience with smooth graphical interfaces has become paramount.

The presentation also looks to the future, and how subscription services can offer flexibility to the customer while also motivating OEMs to ensure paid-for features are kept up to date and constantly improved after launch.

The Evolving Software Landscape in Automotive and How Open Source Can Foster Continuous Innovation presentation is available to watch here: https://www.vncautomotive.com/software-sets-automakers-apart/