From Software to Ecosystem: How Elektrobit Is Accelerating Global Mobility Transformation

Maria Anhalt, CEO of Elektrobit, in conversation with Mubarak Moosa, Associate Partner, Frost & Sullivan

At the IAA Mobility Expo 2025 in Munich, Germany, Elektrobit emerged as a key player shaping the next era of mobility. With more than 35 years of heritage in automotive software, the company is partnering with technology leaders to address affordability, complexity, and transformation in the age of software-defined vehicles (SDVs).

In this Movers & Shakers conversation, Maria Anhalt, CEO of Elektrobit, shares her vision on partnerships, megatrends, and disruptive technologies driving the next phase of global mobility.

Driving Affordability and Scale Through Collaboration

Mubarak Moosa: You have announced a joint development with Foxconn on the Enterprise Video Operating System (EVOS) platform. What motivated this collaboration?

Maria Anhalt: We made the announcement this year and we are now starting the development of the hardware and software platform for vehicle development. Elektrobit is managing the software components and system integration, while Foxconn is leading hardware, manufacturing, and supply chain.

From our vantage point, SDVs are expensive and complex today. OEMs are juggling multiple software vendors and tier-one suppliers, which drives up cost and friction in integration and maintenance. By standardizing and democratizing the supply chain, we are reducing cost, accelerating development, and unlocking economies of scale. This collaboration is enabling a new model in the face of rising competitive intensity.

Visioning Software-first Mobility

Mubarak Moosa: The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation. How is Elektrobit’s vision aligning with that megatrend?

Maria Anhalt: The vision is clear: “Our software moves the world.” With over 35 years of experience, Elektrobit software is already embedded in millions of vehicles worldwide. But our ambition extends further—we are redefining the in-car experience and enabling new forms of digital engagement.

Our collaboration with Sony on the AFEELA illustrates how streaming, gaming, and entertainment are becoming integral to mobility. With Foxconn, we are building the equivalent of Android for vehicles—a flexible, open platform that empowers developers and technology companies to innovate, while giving consumers access to a richer ecosystem. This combination of disruption and openness is at the core of the future of mobility.

“We don’t just want to move people from A to B; we want to move their hearts and emotions by enhancing their in-car user experience.”

–Maria Anhalt, CEO, Elektrobit

Challenges at the Crossroads

Mubarak Moosa: With so many companies moving into electric and SDVs, what key challenges do OEMs face, and how is Elektrobit helping them overcome these?

Maria Anhalt: OEMs face two major challenges: affordability and complexity. Transitioning to SDVs requires new architectures, new partnerships, and a shift from rigid hierarchies to openness. At the same time, capital is under pressure, as companies invest heavily in electrification, AI, and autonomy.

Elektrobit is addressing this by standardizing non-differentiating software, leveraging open-source frameworks and Linux-based tooling, and delivering scalable integration layers. This enables OEMs to focus on differentiation while we manage the software backbone.

We are also mindful of evolving geopolitical scenarios—supply chain shifts, regulatory demands, and localization trends—and are building pathways for consumer technology leaders like Sony, Google, and Apple to bring their expertise in user experience into mobility.

Showcasing Disruptive Technologies at IAA 2025

Mubarak Moosa: What new technologies and demonstrations are Elektrobit presenting at IAA this year?

Maria Anhalt: We present our collaborative strength within the ecosystem at several booths:

• With AUMOVIO, we are showcasing customizable digital cockpits.
• At the Google booth, we are unveiling a cloud-based development environment in collaboration with Google and Accenture.

With Sonatus, we are demonstrating over-the-air (OTA) updates, alongside innovations in mapping and navigation with HERE technologies. These demonstrations embody how we are embedding disruptive technologies into vehicles and enabling real-time, scalable software evolution. We are engaging with OEMs, software developers, and technology companies alike, illustrating how the ecosystem is evolving under rising competitive intensity and global megatrends.

Looking Ahead: Ecosystem, Transformation, and Impact

Mubarak Moosa: As you look forward, what is Elektrobit striving to become in this evolving mobility landscape?

Maria Anhalt: As the industry progresses under megatrends like electrification, connectivity, and digitalization, we are evolving beyond being a software vendor; we are aiming to become a mobility ecosystem enabler.

We are navigating geopolitical complexity, rising competition, and accelerating transformation by anchoring ourselves in openness, standards, and scalable platforms. Our goal is to let our software drive the world, enabling partners from OEMs to consumer tech firms to create differentiated value, while collectively shaping the future of mobility.