VW’s Car.Software organization has strengthened its team with the appointment of Björn Goerke as chief technology officer (CTO). He reports to Car.Software CEO Christian Senger who is also responsible for digital car and services at VW.
Goerke’s role is to define a cross-brand standard for the software architecture of VW’s connected vehicle and digital ecosystems. In addition, he will work to harmonize development work at Car.Software and create a consolidated portfolio of software products and technologies.
“At Car.Software we are committed to combining technological skills with cross-industry expertise in software development,” said Senger. “In Björn Goerke, we are gaining a chief technology officer with comprehensive experience in the management of software architectures in a global company. Together we want to make the Car.Software organization a software powerhouse within the Volkswagen Group with the best digital experts, international positioning and clear delivery of our brands.”
Goerke holds a degree in computer science and started his career in 1988 as a software developer with SAP in Walldorf, Germany. Following another two years as a software developer for server technology in Palo Alto, California, Goerke returned in 1998 to the SAP headquarters in Walldorf where he held various responsible positions from 2002 to 2017. Most recently, Goerke was global CTO for SAP in Palo Alto.
In addition to the news of Goerke’s appointment, it has been announced that Car.Software is now an independent company within VW. As such, a unique brand identity for the business will be created.
Until 2025, Car.Software plans to invest more than €7bn (US$7.8bn) in new projects. Ultimately, Car.Software’s goal is to develop software in five domains on a cross-brand basis. This will include development of a uniform vehicle operating system, which the company has badged vw.os, for all group vehicles and linking to the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud; a standardized infotainment platform; assistance systems; software functions for linking powertrains, chassis and charging technology; as well as ecosystems for all mobility services and digital business models of the brands.