The Wards Intelligence 2022 software-defined vehicle survey underscores the insights of key players in the industry, emphasizing the pivotal role of SDVs in shaping the future of the automotive industry. 

Software-defined-vehicle platform adoption advances slowly within the automotive industry, reflecting the intricate and profound nature of this transformative shift. In this report, Wards Intelligence delves into the challenges and prospects that lie ahead for the industry, drawing insights from the Wards Intelligence 2023 SDV survey.

Wards Intelligence meticulously evaluated and ranked the advancements of 22 automakers in their transition toward software-defined vehicles, offering a comprehensive snapshot of automakers' existing technical expertise and achievements within the realm of SDVs.

In 2019, Mercedes-Benz and Geely partnered to revamp the strategy of Smart, with a shift in focus solely from microcars to the wider BEV segment. Since then, Smart has developed new software, vehicle platforms and organizational processes from scratch, laying the groundwork to compete in the software-defined vehicle era, and is ready to launch its second compact BEV model in Europe.

Nissan has implemented a platform that leverages Aras Innovator to manage in-vehicle software variants. As a result, it has achieved a streamlined software-development process for new applications while significantly reducing the need for extensive coding efforts.

With SDVs, OEMs are required to re-evaluate their supplier ecosystems and forge new relationships that prioritize software-driven models under their control, potentially reducing reliance on Tier 1s and fostering closer connections with Tier 2s. Considering these changes, the future role and competitiveness of Tier 1s in the SDV landscape have been a subject of speculation. Based on a survey conducted by Wards Intelligence, this report assesses their prospects.