When a chorus of automakers started announcing they would eventually phase out their internal combustion engines, the undertone was usually this: “How hard could it be?” But it turns out the answer is “very hard,” especially when it comes to software – something more crucial than ever to the future of cars. The Volkswagen Group knows that pain very well. Now it’s bringing on Sanjay Lal, a veteran of Rivian and Tesla, to help solve its software woes. Can he get one of the world’s largest automakers back on track?
The VW Group announced Lal will lead the new Software Defined Vehicle Hub at CARIAD, its consolidated software division. Boasting more than 25 years of experience in the automotive software space, Lal was most recently VP of Software Platforms at Rivian, where he led the development of its infotainment systems, among other things. He has also held engineering leadership positions at Cisco, Google, and Tesla.
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