Envorso’s Vice President of Engineering Excellence, Steve Tengler, recently participated in a panel discussion at the SAE World Congress event in Detroit, focusing on the challenges and opportunities surrounding software-defined vehicles in the automotive industry.

During the panel, Tengler highlighted the advantages that new entrants, particularly electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers, have in developing software-defined vehicles. He noted that these companies have the benefit of starting with a clean slate, while traditional automakers are faced with the challenge of modernizing their existing systems and processes.

“Some automakers had a cleaner sheet to start with. Some are trying to clean sheet on the fly, kind of like threading your sewing machine while it’s running,” Tengler said, emphasizing the complexity of transitioning to software-defined vehicles for established automakers.

Tengler also discussed the industry’s reliance on outsourcing software development to suppliers and the current shift towards bringing software development in-house or co-developing it with partners. He pointed out that many software-related fixes still require consumers to visit dealerships, highlighting the need for more efficient and streamlined processes.

The panel, which also included representatives from Lucid Motors, Qualcomm, Toyota, and Nio, explored the challenges faced by the automotive industry in adopting software-defined vehicles. Panelists agreed that the industry is still in the early stages of this transition and that it will continue to evolve over the next few years. If you want to read the full article in Automotive News here