How Open Source Software Will Drive the Future of Auto Innovations

Automotive companies are shifting from bending metal to bending bits. Soon they will be offering software and services to complement their manufactured metal. As these companies become software-driven, open source will become a staple to drive innovation faster and more reliably. Today’s cloud is powered by open source software: 78 percent of businesses run open source software in some form. With the convergence of automobiles and the cloud (supporting autonomous systems and connectivity), it’s quite clear this open source paradigm that took over the cloud will take over the automobile.

This future of mobility includes the convergence of automotive hardware and software-driven cloud solutions. Open source will be at the core of this transformation and will drive innovation faster. Soon we will see Ford, GM, Fiat Chrysler, BMW, and other manufacturers launching their own open source initiatives. Whether it be navigation, music and media, or mobile phone support, you might be interfacing with features built on top of open source software already.

Genivi is an open source framework for in-vehicle infotainment launched in 2009 with founding members BMW, GM, Intel, and Delphi. It launched with a goal of “driving innovation” to “reduce time-to-market and total cost of ownership.” This platform gives car makers more impact and leverage over the features available in an in-car experience. Automotive companies can reduce costs and enable richer experiences by leveraging an open source project like Genivi. This allows them to focus on what differentiates their own product...