Looking at the progress of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) by automaker in the global automotive industry, we can classify them into three main groups.

The first group is Tesla and its followers: Tesla, an early adopter of IT industry business models, is leading SDV in the automotive industry as of 2025, and its approach has become an industry benchmark. This move is being followed by emerging Chinese BEV makers (e.g., Xiaomi, Xpeng, NIO, Li Auto, etc.) who are looking to develop business models similar to Tesla’s in the areas of electrification, automated driving, connected (+OTA), and building their own service platforms. Tesla is following suit.
Tesla has established a “BEV + α” business model, and in addition to the development of basic BEVs, is rapidly evolving its E/E architecture (48V Power over Ethernet) with a main CPU + zone control system and advanced automated driving technology equivalent to Level 4 using inference AI. As a result, we are taking a unique position in the SDV field. As a result, we have established a unique position in the SDV field.

The second group is the one that is only introducing a limited range of technologies, to which many legacy automakers such as GM, Ford, VW, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz belong. They are trying to expand the scope of their in-house coverage. If Tesla’s SDVs are named “Full Stack SDVs,” this group could be called “Limited SDVs. The “Limited SDV” group is considered to be focused on a specific area, such as infotainment, or infotainment + α, as a strategy to improve the UX.

The third group is the “cautious group. This group includes many Japanese automakers and emerging Asian automakers. They may not have enough time to make the transition to SDV at this time. The speed of transition to SDV will be determined by the target markets, customer segments, car models, and segments, and the type of products that each manufacturer is offering in each region. Many manufacturers have a conservative attitude toward automotive digitization and will likely take a considerable amount of time to implement SDV.

As described above, the status of SDV support among automakers can be categorized into three groups. Although Tesla currently has an overwhelming advantage, there is still a large room for growth in the market, and there is a good possibility that the competitive structure among manufacturers will change significantly depending on the scale of corporate investment and the formation of alliances.