The car as-a-device: how OEMS are becoming the new software companies with Hyundai Connected Mobility, Stellantis, Mercedes Pay and J.P. Morgan

In the second keynote panel on day two of MOVE 2024, more leaders and agents of change took to the stage to discuss how OEMs are increasingly become software experts in the age of connectivity.

Maria Uvarova, SVP of Software Product Management at Stellantis, explained how modern-day automakers are having to transform themselves into more software-savvy businesses due to the age of the software-defined vehicle.

“We need to acknowledge that OEMs are going through an internal battle with themselves, it remains to be seen whether some of them will survive that battle. It is not enough to recreate a software unit and then claim you make software-defined vehicles. You need to make sure the whole company follows suit,” said the Stellantis SVP. 

The other keynote panellists added to this point noting that automakers need to view connectivity as a major organ of the car.

Marcus Welz, CEO of Hyundai Connected Mobility, stressed this with the analogy “the heart of the system sits in the car and the brain of the car sits in the cloud”.  

The conversation moved onto the topic of in-car payments and digital wallets with contributions from Ali Almakky Global Head of Payments Solutions, Mobility sector at J.P. Morgan and Nico Kersten, CEO of Mercedes Pay, who disclosed that this is the key to creating seamless and embedded payments. 

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