GM partners with Red Hat to expand, accelerate vehicle software capability

General Motors said it has partnered with open-source provider Red Hat to expand the capability of its upcoming Ultifi in-vehicle customer experience platform.

Working with Red Hat will be critical to advancing GM's software after Ultifi launches next year, Scott Miller, GM vice president of software-defined vehicle and operating system, said in a joint GM-Red Hat statement Tuesday. Ultifi will enable applications from GM, suppliers and third-party developers.

"Incorporating the company's expertise in open source solutions and enterprise networks will pay dividends as we aim to provide the most developer-friendly software platform in the industry," he said. "With Red Hat's operating system as a core enabler of Ultifi's capabilities, the opportunity for innovation becomes limitless."

The Ultifi platform is central to GM's goal to boost revenue through software and subscription-based services. The automaker aims to double its annual revenue to about $280 billion by 2030 and raise profit margins in part by selling additional services to customers. GM expects as much as $25 billion in annual revenue from software and subscription services by 2030.

GM and Red Hat plan to simplify cybersecurity and safety updates, which often lengthen the development process, by applying continuous safety certification to the Ultifi platform. The Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System launched the continuous certification approach last year.

The software will support safety and nonsafety applications, such as infotainment, advanced driver-assistance systems and connectivity. The companies will aim to reduce costs by using a common platform; speed up software development time; perform safety certifications continuously; and create new services, business models and revenue streams.

"These new vehicles give our industries a chance to create a common open platform without sacrificing functional safety," Francis Chow, Red Hat vice president and general manager, In-Vehicle Operating System and Edge, said in the statement. "By collaborating with GM on the Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System, we intend to bring the era of open source to the automotive world, benefiting automakers, ecosystem partners, and consumers."