In a bid to develop and market together systems and software, and to provide an enriched and sustainable mobility offer for cities, regions, businesses and citizens, five global companies have joined together.
Accordingly, Luca de Meo, Elie Girard, Bernard Charlès, Jean-Marc Chery and Patrice Caine, respectively the chief executives of Groupe Renault, Atos, Dassault Systèmes, STMicroelectronics and Thales, have announced their intention to join forces to create the Software République, a new ecosystem for innovation in intelligent mobility.
Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, connectivity, embedded electronics, and virtual twin technology will contribute to these new products and services' excellence. This open innovation ecosystem, founded by five leaders in the automotive and technology fields, will welcome new members and develop open collaborations.
Mobility is changing and offering new opportunities. According to the Boston Consulting Group, the global mobility market will grow by 60% by 2035 to reach €11,000 billion. This growth is mainly driven by the emergence of technological disruptions - electric vehicles, new components, new after-sales services and other value-added services - whose share will increase from 5% to 45% of the global mobility market. Major industrial players on other continents, with state support, are already positioning themselves to develop many of these new technologies through enhanced integration strategies. The Software République members express the urgency for France and Europe to collectively build a sustainable ecosystem that aims to ensure their sovereignty in this field.
Areas of Cooperation
To jointly develop and market intelligent mobility systems, enabling the implementation of an adapted and agile mobility offer, three main areas of cooperation have been identified. These include intelligent systems to facilitate secure connectivity between the vehicle and its digital and physical environment; simulation and data management systems to optimise flows for territories and companies, and the energy ecosystem to simplify the charging experience.
Partners of Software République discuss the development of new technologies and services to allow an electric car connected to a compatible charging point, be automatically recognised, and perform a charge without any action by the user. Besides, the deliberations will include options to facilitate access to and simulation of mobility information exchanges, instantaneously and openly across cities and regions. Its objective is to enable consumers to always select the best means of mobility according to time, comfort or energy management; operators to enrich their services; public authorities to simulate and implement mobility scenarios, such as emergency management, events, etc., and urban planners to better anticipate land use planning.
Nurturing Innovation
To foster innovation, Software République will also seek to create an investment fund to finance the most promising start-ups and an incubator to host start-ups in the field of smart mobility technologies, where they will have access to a collaborative virtual development and experimentation environment and mentoring through a value network. For the launch of the ecosystem for start-ups and universities, the partners of the Software République plan to organise a data challenge to contribute to the development of the technologies for tomorrow's mobility encompassing electric, connected and autonomous.