Software development at Mercedes
The manufacturer wants to catch up significantly in digital services.
In order to assume a leading role in car software, Mercedes-Benz is hiring around 3,000 experts worldwide. Around 1,100 employees develop software in Sindelfingen, southwest of Stuttgart. There have already been around 700 new hires at this location alone, as Mercedes board member Markus Schäfer said at the opening of the software center there on Friday. The carmaker invested more than 200 million euros. Mercedes has been running a large car factory in Sindelfingen for a long time.
“We want to be at the forefront when it comes to vehicle software,” said Schäfer, who, as the so-called Chief Technology Officer, is responsible for development and purchasing. He cited the development of self-driving cars as an example.
According to Schäfer, new working time models were agreed with the works council for the software specialists in Sindelfingen. Experts are in great demand around the world. For example, a developer can go home at midday and then come back later. Including the new hires, Mercedes wants to have around 10,000 software specialists in the global network. Important locations are also India, China and the USA.
“The automobile is the most complicated product when it comes to software,” said Schäfer. The manufacturer relies on its own MB.OS operating system in this area.
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Technical challenges in the coming years are the electrification and digitization of cars. According to CEO Ola Källenius, self-driving cars offer great potential. The manufacturer wants to enable highly automated driving in series production luxury sedans of the S-Class.
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