Leading the new era of software-defined trucks

In the commercial vehicle sector, Daimler Truck and Volvo Group have taken a significant step: the two parties have contractually agreed to establish a joint venture dedicated to developing a software-defined vehicle platform. If approved by authorities, it will officially launch in the first half of 2025. These two industry giants previously collaborated in the Milence truck charging joint venture and announced their intention in May this year to jointly develop a software-defined vehicle platform and a dedicated truck operating system. This collaboration aims to lay a solid foundation for future software-defined commercial vehicles. They plan to establish a 50:50 joint venture in Gothenburg, striving to become a leading developer of standardized hardware and software.

The joint venture has clear and forward-looking goals: to set industry standards for truck operating systems and provide products to other commercial vehicle manufacturers. This will help integrate industry resources and accelerate the software transformation of the entire commercial vehicle sector. On the other hand, the joint venture will offer a co-development platform, enabling customers to develop proprietary software applications while decoupling software and hardware development cycles. This will allow customers to purchase and update digital applications over-the-air, significantly enhancing user experience and operational efficiency.

Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck, emphasized that this collaboration demonstrates both parties' commitment to leading the industry's digital transformation. The joint venture's software and hardware will bring customers unprecedented improvements in safety, comfort, and efficiency. Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of Volvo Group, also stated that by joining forces, they are redefining software architecture and ushering in a new era of self-optimizing trucks to meet modern challenges and set industry standards.