The BMW Group has inked a deal with Tata Technologies to form a joint venture in India to work together on automotive software. The plan is to open an IT development hub in India at locations in Bangalore and Pune. A separate facility in Chennai will supply business IT solutions. Initially, the joint venture will employ 100 people but is projected to grow to over 1,000 workers in just a few years.
The joint venture – which is currently under review and approval by authorities in India – will focus on several domains: software-defined vehicles (SDV), automated driving, infotainment, and digital services. The initial workforce will consist of trained and experienced TATA Technologies professionals. The employees will also be tasked to work on digitalization and automation of product development, production, and sales.
The BMW Group started its own software development more than 20 years ago and currently operates IT hubs at home in Germany but also in Portugal, the United States, South Africa, and China. More than 9,400 people work in software development and IT at the BMW Group and its joint ventures. The number will grow shortly with the recently announced IT and software hub in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
India is an important market for the BMW Group considering it operates a factory there in Chennai. It’s where the 6 Series Gran Turismo is still manufactured for the local market, along with more than 10 other models – as small as the 2 Series Gran Coupe and as large as the flagship 7 Series sedan and the X7 SUV.
2023 was the best year ever for the BMW Group in India as deliveries of BMWs and MINIs went up by 18% while the Motorrad division grew by 20%. A total of 14,172 cars and 8,768 motorcycles were sold last year in the world’s most populous country where the iX is the most popular luxury electric vehicle.
Source: BMW Group
