Software-Defined Vehicles

The automotive sector is experiencing a major transformation as vehicles become increasingly shaped by software and electronic systems rather than traditional mechanical components. This shift marks the rise of software-defined vehicles (SDVs), where functionalities such as infotainment, connectivity, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous driving, cybersecurity, and over-the-air updates are central to vehicle performance and user experience.

In this rapidly evolving environment, the European automotive industry faces growing pressure to remain competitive on a global scale. Challenges such as rising software complexity, fragmented development approaches, and dependence on external technologies have highlighted the need for a more coordinated and strategic response at the European level.

What SDVs delivers

The SDVoF initiative promotes collaboration among European OEMs and suppliers, focusing on non-differentiating software building blocks. It aligns with other EU efforts on open automotive hardware platforms, connected/automated vehicles, and zero-emission mobility, and integrates open-source software where appropriate.

Why SDVoF exists (European Context)

• Industry Transformation: Vehicles are becoming automated, autonomous, electric, connected digital platforms, where value is increasingly created through software, cloud services, and frequent feature updates.
  
• Global Competition: Tech giants and non‑EU automakers are rapidly advancing with strong state support. Europe risks dependence on external digital vehicle platforms unless it establishes its own open, interoperable ecosystem.
  
• European Goal: SDVoF and ECAVA strengthen Europe’s competitiveness through collaborative innovation, open standards, interoperable software, and strategic alignment across policy, regulation, safety, and data frameworks.

SDVoF strategic objectives

A clear architecture for the Software‑Defined Vehicle

SDVoF defines a modern, modular 4‑layer SDV architecture. This architecture lets OEMs innovate quickly while ensuring long-term interoperability and European sovereignty.

The development unfolds in four layers:

Europe’s SDV ecosystem is well positioned in the global shift toward software-driven mobility, bringing together industrial expertise, research excellence, and open-source collaboration. Coordinated R&D has created a strong foundation for scalable innovation; the next step is to deepen collaboration, validate modular architectures, and ensure sustained contributor and OEM engagement so that open-source solutions can progress from R&D into series production.

The European driven SDV platform initiative combines two complementary technical approaches:

By combining these approaches, SDVoF aims to strengthen European strategic autonomy and position EU actors as leaders in future vehicle technology. The development process begins with HW/SW abstraction, separating hardware from software to ensure flexibility, interoperability, and compatibility across platforms.

Non-differentiating SW building blocks are used to create reference SDV SW stacks, which are extended and hardened by automotive tiers (prepared for a fast certification and homologation). OEMs can use individual building blocks, reference SDV SW stacks or automotive grade certified SW stacks from OEMs with longterm maintenance support.

This model is based a strong participation of automotive OEMs and Tiers in the Open-Source ecosystem working on the necessary building blocks, reference architectures and reference SW stacks.

SDV Engineering and DevOps Environment

This dual approach accelerates development while reducing cost and dependency on external platforms.

Collaboration within the European SDV Ecosystem

Europe’s Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) ecosystem is playing a leading role in the global transition toward software-centric mobility. Its strength is supported by a dynamic combination of industrial capabilities, academic research, and open-source development. Collaborative R&D programs, increasingly connected to open-source platforms and frameworks, have created a strong foundation for scalable technological development and cooperation across different sectors.

To build on this progress, stakeholders should place greater emphasis on strengthening collaboration, testing and refining modular SDV architectures, and maintaining long-term participation from the developer and contributor community. Strong and continuous commitment from vehicle manufacturers will also be critical to ensure that open-source solutions move beyond experimentation and are successfully integrated into series production (SOP).

Realizing the full potential of Europe’s SDV ecosystem will require continued and significant investment from both public and private sources. Such investment, combined with stronger industry collaboration and sustained innovation, will be essential for maintaining Europe’s competitive position in the rapidly developing SDV landscape.

Introducing ECAVA

The European Commission has launched the European Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Alliance (ECAVA) as a new platform to strengthen strategic guidance, cooperation, and coordination across Europe’s automotive sector. ECAVA will initially focus on key areas shaping the future of mobility, including Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV), hardware and computing architectures, automotive electronics, AI, and autonomous driving.

Building on existing industry collaborations, ECAVA aims to accelerate cooperation and innovation at the European level, while supporting the development, piloting, and testing of emerging technologies. Looking ahead, the Alliance will also contribute to shaping Europe’s longer-term research and innovation priorities for the automotive sector, including the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the 2028–2034 period.