Porsche has announced the founding of a so-called “digitization competence center” called Porsche Digital GmbH. The new division will be the automaker’s connectivity and digital solutions hub and be based in Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart, Germany. The automaker has appointed Thilo Koslowski, formerly of Gartner, Inc., an IT firm in the U.S., as the managing director of Porsche Digital GmbH. Porsche Digital will also have various working locations worldwide including Berlin, China, and the U.S. in Silicon Valley.
Part of Porsche digital GmbH responsibilities includes identifying and evaluation current connectivity and digital trends to find which ones are relevant to the automaker and its push toward the future. Additionally, it will work with other departments to test new product offerings and with possible collaborators such as software companies. Porsche Digital GmbH’s main responsibilities revolve around developing connectivity,smart mobility, and self-driving vehicles.
Forming partnerships and equity holdings in capital funds and start-ups will also be part of the new arm’s responsibilities in order to develop new technologies and tap into new talent and companies that have a high potential for growth. “Digitization is leading to the renaissance of the automobile and is making it the central element of our digital lifestyle,” Koslowski said in the press announcement. “We will create digital customer experiences typical of Porsche which are fascinating and intelligent – both inside and outside the vehicle.”
The founding of Porsche Digital GmbH is the latest in Porsche’s innovation offensive and will be used to tap external resources for its push towards autonomous driving and providing better connectivity.
Source: motortrend