General Motors Announces Partnership with Magna and Wipro Limited To Create SDVerse

by Carl Malek | March 6, 2024

General Motors teams up with Magna and Wipro to develop SDVerse software marketplace that will help improve efficiency in development while also creating match making platform for buying and selling embedded automotive software.

Novel SDVerse platform could rewrite the rules of automotive software development.Vehicle development and the process involved in it have rapidly changed during the past few decades. The prevalence of EVs and other new automotive technology is forcing automakers and suppliers to change the way they develop multiple vehicle systems.

That includes vehicle software with General Motors announcing that it has entered a partnership with Magna and Wipro Limited to produce a new sales platform for buying and selling automotive software called SDVerse.

SDVerse changing software distribution

When it comes to developing automotive software, it’s a process that doesn’t get the level of attention that it rightfully deserves with the process largely happening behind the scenes. Automotive software today is created via a traditional captive software development approach. This has been the established norm for decades but it’s inefficient and is also inflexible especially in the face of rapid industry change.

SDVerse could benefit GM’s electrification plans and EV products.

SDVerse aims to change that by providing a novel digital matchmaking platform that can connect automotive software sellers and buyers in a an efficient manner.

This is done in two parts with sellers listing their software’s features and capabilities while buyers can search and explore available products via a detailed catalog that’s built into the system.

Sales and purchases are also linked directly through the platform which helps reduce the amount of steps that are needed to process a purchase and improve usability at the same time.

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High potential for growth

GM’s upcoming EV models could potentially benefit from SDVerse

SDVerse is still in development but it’s no secret that all three companies are preparing for a high potential of growth if the system becomes successfully entrenched into the buying space.

When the system is perfected, there could be hundreds of automotive software products available for purchase with participants from all over the automotive value chain being invited to take part.

While GM, Magna, and Wipro Limited are the three founding members, a separate “Launch Partner” group has also been created with this group being led by AMpere, FEV, Forvia, HL Mando, NXP Semiconductors, TTTech Auto, and Valeo.

“The market for automotive software is expected to nearly double this decade, potentially outpacing the growth of software development talent pools,” said Harmeet Chauhan, global head, Wipro Engineering Edge Wipro Limited.

”The current paradigm for software sourcing will likely not be able to overcome this growing gap without sacrificing both profitability and the auto industry’s aspirations for software-defined vehicles. SDVerse addresses these pain points, offering a wide range of benefits across the entire industry.”

With electrification shifting into high gear in many parts of the automotive industry, SDVerse and other systems like it will help improve the efficiency of key development platforms while also giving them the flexibility they need to get products to consumers quicker.