Software Defined Vehicles
Interview with Houssem Ghanmi, NXP
“The biggest barriers are mindset and organizational structure”
As the shift toward hyperscale platforms accelerates, legacy automotive structures face an existential test. NXP’s Houssem Ghanmi explains how OEMs can move from adaptation to reinvention in the software-defined era.
With a background spanning both engineering and business strategy, Houssem Ghanmi bridges the technical and organizational worlds shaping tomorrow’s mobility. He spent more than a decade developing software and E/E architectures at BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Bosch.
Now SDV Business & Strategy Development Director at NXP Semiconductors, Ghanmi drives the company’s strategic initiatives to accelerate adoption of the software-defined vehicle through ecosystem partnerships and visionary product strategies.
At the Automotive Computing Conference 2025, he spoke about the rise of centralized intelligence, the risks facing incumbents, and the new business models shaping the next era of automotive innovation. After to the event, we asked him three questions.
ADT: The shift toward centralized intelligence and hyperscale platforms is shaking up traditional automotive structures. What do you see as the most critical barriers preventing established players from fully embracing the software-defined paradigm?
Ghanmi: The biggest barriers are mindset and organizational structure. Traditional carmakers still view mobility primarily as a mechanical product, built around individual hardware components and organized accordingly. New disruptors, however, see mobility as an experience – one defined by software platforms rather than mechanical systems. For them, functions such as infotainment, autonomous driving, and vehicle dynamics are software-driven experiences running on an integrated platform. That shift in thinking is extremely difficult for established manufacturers. Volkswagen shows good new ways/alternatives of approaching SDV: instead of developing ALONE its own software foundation, it has started co-developing software with new players like Rivian, which could be a good win-win for both. The entire equation of how value is created in the automotive world is being rewritten.
At the ACC 2025, you talked about the “tsunami at the gates of automotive legacy.” What are the survival strategies for OEMs and suppliers in this new era – and where do you see opportunities for real reinvention rather than adaptation?
Premium original equipment manufacturers with strong software capabilities and healthy financials are increasingly investing in in-house software development. Volume manufacturers, by contrast, are co-developing software platforms through joint ventures or aquisitions, while others are focusing on gradual upgrades of their existing systems. True reinvention, however, offers something that incremental adaptation cannot: it gives OEMs full freedom from many legacy dependencies and opens up real space for innovation.
NXP plays a central role in bridging embedded systems with cloud-scale intelligence. How do you see your technology enabling this transition – and what partnerships or ecosystems will be key to making it sustainable?
We are investing heavily in the development of centralized system-on-chip solutions e.g. central computers, zonal controllers, ..., which we deliver together with reference software that provides a clear path to production. At the same time, we work hand in hand with our customers to help them bring up their new platforms and ensure a stable integration process. Long-term collaboration is key. That is why we are building durable partnerships with both our ecosystem and our customers – to ensure sustainable innovation and lasting support throughout this technological transformation.
