Gasgoo Munich- Schaeffler and ThunderSoft have officially signed a strategic partnership agreement to jointly develop a central computing platform for next-generation vehicle architectures, as Gasgoo has learned. The collaboration aims to accelerate the industry's shift toward "software-defined vehicles" and "AI-defined vehicles."
Image Source: Schaeffler
Under the agreement, the partnership will focus on building modular, scalable central computing solutions. As vehicle electronic and electrical (E/E) architectures evolve from traditional distributed control units to centralized computing, high-performance platforms are becoming critical. These systems integrate multiple vehicle domains—including powertrain, energy management, driving functions, and infotainment—into a central processor, laying the groundwork for flexible, data-centric E/E applications.
Schaeffler brings its expertise in developing, industrializing, and mass-producing complex automotive electronic systems, particularly in safety-critical driving functions, powertrains, chassis solutions, and battery and energy management. ThunderSoft, meanwhile, contributes its specialized capabilities and mature technology ecosystem in central vehicle software platforms, operating systems, and high-performance computing architectures for infotainment and driver-assistance systems.
By integrating functions previously scattered across multiple control units into a central platform, the partnership aims to reduce system complexity and shorten development cycles. This approach enables flexible, cost-effective scaling across different vehicle models and markets.
Looking ahead, the companies plan to develop fully integrated vehicle computer solutions that combine driver assistance, infotainment, and vehicle dynamics on a shared, flexible hardware architecture. Initial efforts will target the Asia-Pacific and European markets, with future expansion into China and North America. From the outset, the collaboration has been designed to meet local regulatory requirements for intelligent connected vehicles.
