Lal has been appointed to spearhead the new Software Defined Vehicle Hub within CARIAD, Volkswagen's integrated software arm. With over 25 years in the field of automotive software, Lal most recently served as the VP of Software Platforms at Rivian, where he oversaw projects like infotainment system development. His career also includes engineering leadership roles at Cisco, Google, and Tesla.
"Sanjay is someone we can all look forward to,” CARIAD CEO Peter Bosch said in a statement to InsideEVs. “He is a true expert in the Software Defined Vehicle – together with him we will develop a competitive advantage for the brands and the Volkswagen Group.” The “hub” Lal will lead is a small team across Volkswagen and Audi – with more brands to join eventually – focused on developing software more quickly, with less development time, and hardware built around it. “Speed is the new imperative to stay competitive," VW Group CEO Oliver Blume said to investors this summer.
Taking on this role, Lal will confront numerous challenges. Established in 2020, CARIAD aimed to consolidate Volkswagen's fragmented software platforms, which often incorporated different systems and components from various vendors. This approach was far from optimal, especially when compared to companies like Tesla that manage software in-house.
CARIAD itself has faced a series of difficulties, hindering Volkswagen's ambitious plans to fully transition to electric vehicles by 2035. Issues have ranged from problematic software feature releases to significant glitches, leading to delays in key vehicle launches like the electric Porsche Macan and Audi Q6 e-tron. The software troubles contributed to the departure of former VW Group CEO Herbert Diess in 2022 and led to additional upheavals when several top executives at CARIAD were let go.
These setbacks have also postponed Volkswagen's timeline for achieving Level 4 automated driving, putting it behind competitors like Mercedes-Benz. This delay affects not just the driving features but also the company's ambitious plans for in-vehicle apps and subscription-based services to generate revenue.
In summary, Volkswagen, once a pioneer in the shift to electric vehicles partly due to its diesel emissions scandal, is now facing substantial software-related challenges. As software becomes increasingly crucial for the competitiveness of future vehicles, the company has high hopes for Lal, an industry veteran from two electric vehicle companies known for their strong software capabilities. Should he fail to resolve these issues, Volkswagen risks falling further behind and disappointing its customer base.
Source: InsideEVs