Software-defined vehicles enter era of AI-driven value creation

After looking to overturn a century-old truth in the automotive industry that cars depreciate from the moment they leave the factory, software-defined vehicles (SDVs) are now generating operational value even if automakers are starting to pull back from the idea that selling vehicle data will become a meaningful revenue stream, says research from Omdia. The study, The 2026 SDV reality check: The great recalibration , sponsored by SDV technology provider Sonatus , analysed the responses of 559 automotive professionals across seven major markets – namely the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Japan and China – in March and April 2026. Assessment of the data showed the automotive industry has moved past the hype to tackle the complexities of real-world operationalisation. Overall, the research shows that the industry is moving out of the exploratory phase and into making more practical decisions about what actually works, and indeed what pays off. In particular, there has been a marked shif