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Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2025 SDV Survey: Automotive Industry Is Betting on AI, OTA Updates and Advanced Software, Though Obstacles Remain
Annual survey carried out by Wards Intelligence, now part of Omdia, and sponsored by Sonatus highlights major progress in shift to software-defined vehicles SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sonatus, a leading automotive software company accelerating the shift to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) through artificial intelligence, has sponsored the 2025 edition of the Software-Defined Vehicle Survey, an annual global survey conducted by Wards Intelligence, now part of Omdia. Sonatus today revealed some key findings from that survey in the form of an eBook. Carried out in March 2025, the survey gathered insights from more than 500 automotive professionals spanning Asia, Europe and North America. The study explores the industry's evolving technology priorities, reflecting a decisive shift toward AI, embedded software, and its future potential. The industry is shifting gears to software The study reveals a significant shift in perspective: while data management and systems integration dominated last year, AI and software-related capabilities are now at the top of the priority list. Across all regions, respondents cite AI-based automotive functions, OTA updates, continuous software deployment (CI/CD) and automated software recertification as key elements of future mobility. Another notable finding is the increasing viability of open-source solutions in safety-critical applications. Where proprietary systems previously dominated, Linux-based platforms are now gaining confidence, a shift that reflects a growing need for flexibility and scalability. 83% of respondents are considering Android and Linux in safety systems, compared to 2024, when only 12% considered Linux viable. AI as a driver of new capabilities AI is generating a lot of excitement globally, but not only in areas such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving. Notably, four of the five most promising AI use cases — smart diagnostics, dynamic performance calibration, personalized driving comfort optimization, and predictive maintenance — are not yet widely deployed. Routing and navigation, which is increasingly deployed in IVI systems today, was #4 on the list. This suggests a significant untapped opportunity in foundational vehicle functions, not just infotainment or voice interfaces. OTA Updates are becoming more pervasive 67% of respondents said over-the-air (OTA) updates were already deployed in their vehicles, an acceleration of this shift compared to last year. However, OTA updates are not yet pervasive across all vehicle systems. Only 23% of respondents say OTA are used today for upgrades to vehicle capabilities, though an additional 55% (or 78% cumulative) expect broader deployment by 2026-2027. A modular and progressive approach to software architecture Vehicle architectures are evolving to support scalable, software-centric platforms. Overall adoption of hardware and networking technologies will begin with high-speed in-vehicle network backbones with higher prevalence in 2027, followed by consolidated hardware running multiple workloads with abstraction around 2028. Vehicle platform standardization is expected to occur around 2029, with the transition to zonal architecture beginning from 2030 onwards. Variants of zonal architectures are expected to be the majority during that period. Structural challenges to overcome for a successful transition Despite a clear momentum towards software-defined vehicles, survey replies identified several obstacles to large-scale adoption. Cost optimization and ensuring ROI topped the list (29%), along with data management and privacy (27%), and legacy systems, operations and mindset (26%). Fortunately the journey is seen as worth the effort, as 82% of respondents believe SDVs will be either very successful or somewhat successful in achieving key industry goals like enhanced in-car experience, increased quality, new revenue streams, and faster product development and innovation. Sonatus: Accelerating the shift to SDV To help accelerate the shift to software-defined vehicles with artificial intelligence, Sonatus offers a modular platform of crucial software infrastructure, which is in mass-production in millions of vehicles. For example, Sonatus Collector offers highly configurable dynamic data collection, and Sonatus Updater provides a modern powerful solution for the increasingly complex OTA update requirements of SDVs. To learn more about Sonatus, visit Survey Results eBook and Podcast To access the eBook summary of key results, visit In addition, a recent episode of The Garage podcast by Sonatus featured Maitê Bezerra, Senior Principal Analyst, Software Defined Vehicles, from Wards Intelligence (now part of Omdia) in conversation with Sonatus Chief Marketing Officer John Heinlein, Ph.D., in which they discuss key conclusions of the survey. To access the full dataset from the survey, please contact Wards Intelligence. This study is based on a sample of 559 automotive industry participants, evenly distributed between China, Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and North America (United States and Canada). This distribution ensures both statistical relevance and strong regional representation. 76% of respondents are directly involved in automotive production, while the others are industry suppliers or consultants of various types. About Sonatus Sonatus is a vehicle software company that is accelerating the transition towards software-defined vehicles with artificial intelligence. The diverse products comprising the Sonatus Vehicle Platform serve as key building blocks that allow automotive companies and their ecosystem to fast forward to the future of mobility and deliver continuous improvements in costs, capabilities, reliability, and user experience over the vehicle lifespan. Sonatus' award-winning software platform is in mass production in over 4 million vehicles from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. Sonatus is privately-held and has raised more than USD $110 million with world-class automotive, technology, and venture investors, including Foxconn, Hyundai Motor Group's Kia Corporation, LG Electronics, Marvell, NEC and Translink Orchestrating Future Fund, SAIC Capital, Translink Capital, UMC Capital, and Wanxiang. Sonatus headquarters are in Sunnyvale, CA (Silicon Valley), with offices in Bangalore, Dublin, Detroit, Frankfurt, Kraków, Paris, Pune, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, and Tokyo. For more information, visit About Wards Intelligence Wards Intelligence is the automotive research arm of Omdia, which is a part of Informa TechTarget, Inc. (Nasdaq: TTGT), a technology research and advisory group. The group's deep knowledge of tech markets combined with their emphasis on actionable insights is designed to empower organizations to make smart growth decisions. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Press Contact: John HeinleinChief Marketing Officerpress@
Business Wire
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
2025 SDV Survey: Automotive Industry Is Betting on AI, OTA Updates and Advanced Software, Though Obstacles Remain
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sonatus, a leading automotive software company accelerating the shift to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) through artificial intelligence, has sponsored the 2025 edition of the Software-Defined Vehicle Survey, an annual global survey conducted by Wards Intelligence, now part of Omdia. Sonatus today revealed some key findings from that survey in the form of an eBook. Carried out in March 2025, the survey gathered insights from more than 500 automotive professionals spanning Asia, Europe and North America. The study explores the industry's evolving technology priorities, reflecting a decisive shift toward AI, embedded software, and its future potential. Despite a clear momentum towards software-defined vehicles, survey replies identified several obstacles to large-scale adoption. Cost optimization and ensuring ROI topped the list (29%), along with data management and privacy (27%). Share The industry is shifting gears to software The study reveals a significant shift in perspective: while data management and systems integration dominated last year, AI and software-related capabilities are now at the top of the priority list. Across all regions, respondents cite AI-based automotive functions, OTA updates, continuous software deployment (CI/CD) and automated software recertification as key elements of future mobility. Another notable finding is the increasing viability of open-source solutions in safety-critical applications. Where proprietary systems previously dominated, Linux-based platforms are now gaining confidence, a shift that reflects a growing need for flexibility and scalability. 83% of respondents are considering Android and Linux in safety systems, compared to 2024, when only 12% considered Linux viable. AI as a driver of new capabilities AI is generating a lot of excitement globally, but not only in areas such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving. Notably, four of the five most promising AI use cases — smart diagnostics, dynamic performance calibration, personalized driving comfort optimization, and predictive maintenance — are not yet widely deployed. Routing and navigation, which is increasingly deployed in IVI systems today, was #4 on the list. This suggests a significant untapped opportunity in foundational vehicle functions, not just infotainment or voice interfaces. OTA Updates are becoming more pervasive 67% of respondents said over-the-air (OTA) updates were already deployed in their vehicles, an acceleration of this shift compared to last year. However, OTA updates are not yet pervasive across all vehicle systems. Only 23% of respondents say OTA are used today for upgrades to vehicle capabilities, though an additional 55% (or 78% cumulative) expect broader deployment by 2026-2027. A modular and progressive approach to software architecture Vehicle architectures are evolving to support scalable, software-centric platforms. Overall adoption of hardware and networking technologies will begin with high-speed in-vehicle network backbones with higher prevalence in 2027, followed by consolidated hardware running multiple workloads with abstraction around 2028. Vehicle platform standardization is expected to occur around 2029, with the transition to zonal architecture beginning from 2030 onwards. Variants of zonal architectures are expected to be the majority during that period. Structural challenges to overcome for a successful transition Despite a clear momentum towards software-defined vehicles, survey replies identified several obstacles to large-scale adoption. Cost optimization and ensuring ROI topped the list (29%), along with data management and privacy (27%), and legacy systems, operations and mindset (26%). Fortunately the journey is seen as worth the effort, as 82% of respondents believe SDVs will be either very successful or somewhat successful in achieving key industry goals like enhanced in-car experience, increased quality, new revenue streams, and faster product development and innovation. Sonatus: Accelerating the shift to SDV To help accelerate the shift to software-defined vehicles with artificial intelligence, Sonatus offers a modular platform of crucial software infrastructure, which is in mass-production in millions of vehicles. For example, Sonatus Collector offers highly configurable dynamic data collection, and Sonatus Updater provides a modern powerful solution for the increasingly complex OTA update requirements of SDVs. To learn more about Sonatus, visit Survey Results eBook and Podcast To access the eBook summary of key results, visit In addition, a recent episode of The Garage podcast by Sonatus featured Maitê Bezerra, Senior Principal Analyst, Software Defined Vehicles, from Wards Intelligence (now part of Omdia) in conversation with Sonatus Chief Marketing Officer John Heinlein, Ph.D., in which they discuss key conclusions of the survey. To access the full dataset from the survey, please contact Wards Intelligence. This study is based on a sample of 559 automotive industry participants, evenly distributed between China, Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and North America (United States and Canada). This distribution ensures both statistical relevance and strong regional representation. 76% of respondents are directly involved in automotive production, while the others are industry suppliers or consultants of various types. About Sonatus Sonatus is a vehicle software company that is accelerating the transition towards software-defined vehicles with artificial intelligence. The diverse products comprising the Sonatus Vehicle Platform serve as key building blocks that allow automotive companies and their ecosystem to fast forward to the future of mobility and deliver continuous improvements in costs, capabilities, reliability, and user experience over the vehicle lifespan. Sonatus' award-winning software platform is in mass production in over 4 million vehicles from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. Sonatus is privately-held and has raised more than USD $110 million with world-class automotive, technology, and venture investors, including Foxconn, Hyundai Motor Group's Kia Corporation, LG Electronics, Marvell, NEC and Translink Orchestrating Future Fund, SAIC Capital, Translink Capital, UMC Capital, and Wanxiang. Sonatus headquarters are in Sunnyvale, CA (Silicon Valley), with offices in Bangalore, Dublin, Detroit, Frankfurt, Kraków, Paris, Pune, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, and Tokyo. For more information, visit About Wards Intelligence Wards Intelligence is the automotive research arm of Omdia, which is a part of Informa TechTarget, Inc. (Nasdaq: TTGT), a technology research and advisory group. The group's deep knowledge of tech markets combined with their emphasis on actionable insights is designed to empower organizations to make smart growth decisions. For more information, visit
Canada Standard
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Canada Standard
U.S. auto sales drops sharply in May as pre-tariff rush fades
Xinhua 04 Jun 2025, 14:45 GMT+10 WASHINGTON, June 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. light vehicle sales witnessed the sharpest monthly drop in May in about five years following a rush by auto shoppers during the previous two months to beat anticipated price hikes stoked by President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported automobiles. Wards Intelligence reported on Tuesday that the seasonally adjusted annual rate of light vehicle sales plunged to 15.65 million units last month, down from a revised 17.25 million in April and 17.83 million in March. May's drop in the adjusted annual rate of about 1.6 million was the largest since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. The decline followed a surge in March, when sales hit their highest level since March 2021. Despite the downward trajectory, automakers Ford and Hyundai reported increased sales in the U.S. market in May, the companies announced on Tuesday, as concerns over potential tariff-related price hikes continued to prompt buyers to act quickly on their car and SUV purchases. President Trump's 25 percent tariffs on automotive imports took effect on April 3. Telemetry, a Detroit-area automotive advisory firm, forecasted that if the tariffs remain in place, U.S. and Canadian auto sales could decline by 1.8 million vehicles this year and remain stagnant over the next decade.
Miami Herald
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
See the Winners and Losers of May's Post-Tariff Sales Rush
The U.S. light vehicle sales rate dropped to 15.65 million units in May, down from 17.25 million in April and 17.83 million in March, according to Wards Intelligence data. This decline-the largest since the COVID-19 pandemic's onset in April 2020-was partially due to lower auto inventory levels from a March-April sales surge of shoppers trying to beat tariff-related price hikes. May also saw a 10% drop in incentive spending from April, as less inventory reduces dealers' need to offer discounts, rebates, and other special offers. Wards Intelligence forecasts that this sales dynamic will continue through June and into Q3, with automakers generally hesitant to ramp up production and replace inventory amid the ongoing trade war. "Given the swirling tariff, consumer, and auto inventory conditions, the expected May 2025 auto sales result will likely be the last period this year to post positive growth in year-ago and month-prior comparisons," said Chris Hopson, principal analyst of S&P Global Mobility. Ford Motor Company reported a 16% U.S. sales increase to 220,959 units in May year-over-year, with positive gains at both Ford and Lincoln. The 2025 Escape was one of Ford's best-sellers in May, with sales catapulting 24% to 17,395 units. Ford's 2024 Explorer saw a 23% sales increase to 20,504 vehicles. Bronco Sport sales rose 46% to 14,472 units, and the Maverick saw a 14% gain to 15,508 deliveries. Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia said their combined U.S. vehicle sales rose 6.4% in May from last year but added that their growth was lower in the previous month, according to Korea JoongAng Daily. In addition to selling its 17 millionth vehicle since entering the U.S. market in 1986 and launching Ioniq 9 deliveries, Hyundai's Venue, Elantra N, Santa Fe, Tucson, IONIQ 6, and Palisade reached May total sales records. In May, Hyundai U.S. sales, not including its luxury Genesis brand, rose 8%, its total hybrid sales increased by 5%, and the automaker's electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid lineup had its best month ever. Kia's sales increased 5.1% to 79,007 units from 75,156, thanks to hot-selling models like the Telluride and Sportage SUVs, the Carnival minivan, and the K4 sedan. While most automakers have begun reporting sales figures quarterly instead of monthly, Ford Motor Company and Hyundai Motor sales were better than expected, with Ford thriving on its employee pricing program running through July 6. Still, most countries haven't reached deals with the U.S. on reduced auto tariffs, making price hikes and lower sales all but certain in the coming months. Automakers exporting cars to the U.S. do have some light at the end of the tunnel, as a panel of judges on a federal trade court ruled that many of Trump's sweeping tariffs, including those on vehicles and car parts, exceeded the President's legal authority. A second D.C. federal court also deemed the tariffs illegal, but both rulings are on hold because of appeals. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
US auto sales rate plunges in May after pre-tariff rush fades
(Reuters) - The U.S. light vehicle sales rate slumped in May by the most in about five years following a rush by auto shoppers during the previous two months to beat anticipated price hikes stoked by President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported automobiles. Wards Intelligence on Tuesday reported the seasonally adjusted annual rate of light vehicle sales plunged to 15.65 million units last month from a revised 17.25 million in April and 17.83 million in March. May's drop in the SAAR of about 1.6 million was the largest since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020. (Reporting By Dan Burns) Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
