Auto industry expands open-source pact to boost development, cut costs

Core Viewpoint - More than 30 companies in the automotive supply chain are collaborating on open-source software to develop next-generation vehicles and reduce costs, as announced by Germany's VDA at the CES trade show in Las Vegas [1][2]. Group 1: Collaboration and Participants - The initiative has expanded from 11 to 32 participating firms, including Stellantis, Traton, Schaeffler, Infineon, and Qualcomm, alongside major German carmakers like Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz [2]. - This collaboration signifies a global shift towards open innovation within the automotive industry, as stated by Mike Milinkovich, executive director of the Eclipse Foundation [3]. Group 2: Goals and Benefits - The initiative aims to reduce development and maintenance efforts by up to 40% and accelerate time to market by up to 30% [2].