In a significant move to bolster its automotive software capabilities, German luxury carmaker BMW Group announced that it will form a 50-50 joint venture with Indian engineering giant Tata Technologies. 

The new joint venture aims to establish a major software and IT development hub in India with Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai locations. Its primary focus will be developing cutting-edge software solutions for BMW’s future vehicles.

“Our collaboration with Tata Technologies will accelerate our progress in the software-defined vehicle (SDV) field,” said Christoph Grote, BMW’s Senior VP of Software and E/E Architecture. “India has a vast talent pool with outstanding software engineering skills who can contribute to shaping premium automotive experiences like highly automated driving.”

The joint venture will commence operations with 100 experienced software professionals from Tata Technologies. However, it has ambitious growth plans to rapidly scale up to over 1,000 employees in the next few years as software becomes increasingly critical for vehicles.

“We’re excited to bring our expertise to the forefront, aiding BMW in engineering premium products and propelling its digital transformation journey,” said Warren Harris, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Technologies.

Automotive Software Focus

The joint venture will focus on developing advanced automotive software solutions, including automated driving systems, infotainment platforms, and digital services for SDVs.

The business IT side will work on digitalising and automating BMW’s product development, production, and sales processes.

“In the evolving landscape, the shift towards software-defined vehicles represents a pivotal change in automotive methodologies,” said Nachiket Paranjpe, President of Automotive Sales at Tata Technologies. “We will leverage our deep domain knowledge to engineer exceptional vehicle experiences.”

 Leveraging India’s Software Talent

The partnership will leverage India’s large pool of skilled software engineers and Tata Technologies’ digital engineering capabilities to expand BMW’s global software development footprint.

“BMW’s expansion of international software hubs has proved successful. I’m pleased we found a strong tech partner in Tata to grow our presence in India,” said Alexander Buresch, BMW’s CIO.

BMW already has manufacturing operations in India, sourcing engines from Force Motors and motorcycles from TVS Motor Company. Tata Technologies, a Tata Motors subsidiary, provides engineering services to major automakers like Honda, Ford and Airbus.

The joint venture is subject to regulatory approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed.