Here Technologies today announced the automotive industry’s first data-driven Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Maturity Framework developed through independent research by technology advisory firm Omdia. Demonstrating their commitment to advancing the auto industry, the partners say they will hand off the framework to SAE ITC for consideration as a formal taxonomy.

The framework comes as automakers struggle with fragmented SDV development approaches that are driving costly missteps and threatening business viability, providing the industry’s first common language for assessing progress and making strategic decisions in the rapidly evolving SDV landscape. It creates a unified industry standard as new tech entrants accelerate innovation, consumer expectations surge, and automakers face mounting pressure to collaborate, or risk falling behind in the mobility transformation.

“Automakers share a clear vision for a software-driven future, and that opens the door to innovate faster and deliver experiences consumers truly value,” said Remco Timmer, SVP, Head of Automotive Solutions at Here Technologies. “The SDV Maturity Framework gives the industry a common language and practical roadmap to progress together. By aligning strategies and fostering collaboration, we can move faster to unlock exciting, innovative mobility experiences for consumers and enable OEMs to differentiate from their competition while unlocking new revenue streams in the process.”

The framework defines four distinct phases of evolution, from hardware-centric vehicles to software-first mobility platforms, based on a global survey of 647 automotive experts across North America, Europe, and Asia.

  • Phase 1: connected (mass adoption by 2026–2027): Basic connectivity with minimal user benefits; most OEMs are currently here. Limited revenue beyond traditional vehicle sales.
  • Phase 2: augmented (mass adoption 2027–2030): First substantial user benefits through the latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features and enhancement of infotainment via OTA updates. Early revenue diversification through fleet solutions.
  • Phase 3: adaptive (mass adoption 2030–2035): Critical inflection point: Vehicles become evolving platforms with lifecycle feature upgrades as OEMs shift to a software-first approach. Peak revenue diversification through subscriptions and data monetization.
  • Phase 4: agentic (mass adoption 10+ years out): Full digital lifecycle integration with predictive experiences as OEMs become mobility service providers. Revenue extends beyond mobility through ecosystem orchestration.

The framework not only benchmarks technical progress but also addresses the growing importance of consumer trust, data privacy, and seamless integration with digital lifestyles. These factors are increasingly shaping purchase decisions and brand loyalty, say developers. With AI, OTA updates, and zonal architecture now central to automotive innovation, the framework delivers a roadmap for OEMs and suppliers to align strategies and investments with the technologies shaping tomorrow’s vehicles.

“The automotive industry’s fragmented SDV approach is driving unnecessary complexity, risk, and financial losses,” said Maite Bezerra, Senior Principal Analyst at Omdia. “Our SDV Maturity Framework reveals that success requires organizational transformation and strategic collaboration beyond technology alone. While early phases show limited returns, skipping these foundations leads to exponentially higher costs. The framework provides the evidence-based roadmap needed to eliminate uncertainty and make strategic decisions.”

The developers say that value creation for OEMs and customers evolves at each phase—from operational excellence and safety in the early stages to digital value, personalization, and new business models in later phases. The industry’s move from proprietary silos to open, collaborative development is a key enabler of SDV innovation. While customer value and investment returns may be modest in phases 1 and 2, these phases are critical to unlocking significant benefits in phase 3 and on.

They say there is a stark divide in regional readiness. Chinese and APAC OEMs are fast-tracking foundational capabilities, such as open supplier ecosystems, OTA updates, and digital engineering environments. OEM responses to the global survey reveal significant differences in SDV readiness across regions.

Regarding open ecosystem partnerships, 70% of APAC OEMs expect to have them in place by phase 3. More than 50% of European and 35% of North American OEMs don’t anticipate them until phase 4 or later. About 20% of APAC OEMs already view open ecosystems as a phase 1 priority.

For digital engineering environments, nearly 90% of Chinese OEMs will have them in place by phase 3. More than 30% of Chinese OEMs are starting as early as phase 1. Over half of European and North American OEMs defer implementation to phases 3 and 4.

According to the partners, these aggressive timelines reflect a fundamentally different mindset in China and APAC, where SDV-native players are compressing development cycles and reimagining vehicle innovation from the ground up. They say that success in advanced SDV phases depends on collaborative platform development, supplier integration, and ecosystem orchestration.

The recent collaboration between HERE, AWS, and industry partners, called the SDV Accelerator, is said to exemplify the commitment to providing practical blueprints and resources for OEMs to unlock the full value of the SDV ecosystem at every stage. Its open architecture integrates AWS cloud and AI capabilities with Here’s mapping and location technology alongside solutions offered by Arm, Elektrobit, Forvia, Micware, Mireo, NTT Docomo Business, Panasonic Automotive Systems, and QNX.

More details on the SDV Maturity Framework, including a full report, can be found here.