Explore the future of automotive OS in our new multi-client study!

An essential building block of the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) is its operating system, determining what features are offered to the end user and how they experience them, while helping OEMs form the foundation of their SDV strategies overall. As a growing ecosystem for SDV-focused vehicle operating systems continues to expand through the announcement of new systems, partnerships, proprietary solutions and more, OEMs building their own SDV strategies are faced with a choice that will not only sway this strategy, but the development, rollout, and continued support of the SDV itself – whether to buy or build their vehicle OS.

To help OEMs and suppliers overcome this challenge and accelerate their SDV strategies, we are launching The Future of the Automotive OS – a new multi-client study that seeks to forecast future OEM preferences for OS sourcing, capability, and licensing, while highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each approach. In this article, we will provide an overview of this exciting new study, highlight some of the key benefits it will provide to OEMs and suppliers working towards the SDV, and outline how you can participate in it.

Project/Study Timeline

• Late Aug to Late Sep - Funding Period
• Early Oct - Kick-off call, and Request input
• Mid to Late Oct - Report creation, Stakeholder interviews
• Early Nov - Report deliverable, ~1hr workshop

Study Overview

Our study recognizes the variety of approaches being taken towards OS sourcing and casts a wide net designed to offer support to those at different stages of their vehicle OS journey - from those creating a sourcing plan for OS (based on differences in partnership preferences and models), to those developing a diverse commercial model that can accommodate an open-source strategy, and those deciding what to in-source and outsource from a software development perspective. In offering this support, our study groups its key deliverables into three categories: Define, Identify, and Evaluate.

Under ‘Define’, it offers:

• A bespoke, high-level, strategic recommendation for your team
• Clear definitions on the types of OSes being delivered today, as well as the safety requirements and sourcing approaches around them
• A more general view on the advantages and disadvantages of open-source operating systems
• Deep profiles of different OS vendors, complete with business model analysis that includes open-source software projects.

Under ‘Identify’, we take a deep dive into the vehicle OS landscape to help you understand:

• How better tools make OEMs better software integrators
• How OS requirements and sourcing models are evolving
• How OEMs and suppliers can today minimize costs and maximize scalability while meeting key safety and security requirements.

The deliverable provided in ‘Evaluate’ differs for OEMs and suppliers taking part in the study:

• For OEMs we offer a dedicated review of your OS supply chain that helps you assess how it can be optimized while identifying risks and offering broader strategic recommendations.
• For suppliers, we assess how the study’s key findings will impact your roadmap or product portfolio, while offering dedicated recommendations that help you manage risks and leverage opportunities.

Key Benefits/ How The Study Helps You

Through the study, you’ll gain deep expert insights into the state-of-the-art of vehicle operating systems today and understand how this is likely to evolve in the future, and impact future OS sourcing practices.

Here, you can:

• Evaluate the maturities of open-source OSes for in-vehicle use
• Discover what commercial models of different in-vehicle OSes are being offered today
• Understand the specific benefits of these OSes to OEM business, or if they pose any challenges to adoption
• Assess OEM OS sourcing preferences in terms of in-house development, supplier contracts, and more
• Identify how these preferences may change in the future

At the same time, the study also allows you to

• Measure the benefits and risks of shifting away from a per-vehicle, licensed proprietary OS to an open-source based solution.
• Compare the maturity of different proprietary and open-source operating systems and enablers.
• Understand whether, in terms of OS sourcing, OEMs prefer a BOM-based cost structure or if they are leaning towards a TCO-based cost structure.

Interested In This Topic?

As vehicle operating systems continue their rapid evolution through dedicated initiatives, investments and partnerships, a clear view on the ecosystem surrounding them today will help OEMs advance their SDV strategies as these systems become an increasingly integral part of the vehicle as a whole. At the same time, a deep understanding on how this ecosystem is set to evolve and become even more important to the SDV through initiatives like open-sourcing OSes will strengthen and future-proof these strategies for OEMs, while helping suppliers ensure more competitive products and develop business models that align with OEM needs.

Our study on the future of automotive operating systems delivers these insights through deep research and tailored deliverables that together provide clarity on the rapidly evolving vehicle OS landscape and the best practices around vehicle operating systems for your business. To become a member of the study, a sponsorship payment of ￡16,000 / $20,000 / €18,500 / JPY￥3,800,000 / CN￥140,000 (without tax) is required by the end of September 2024.

If you are currently navigating your way through this extensive landscape to find the best operating system for your SDV or determining the scope and scale of your SDV-focused vehicle OS strategy, book a meeting with us today to learn more about how you can engage in our study and gain the clarity you need to drive the vehicle OS of the future.

Learn More Today!