digital.auto
Turn the Vehicle into
an Open Digital Ecosystem
BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE FOR SDVs
WORKSTREAM
What if...
What if cameras, gaming equipment, karaoke microphones, wellness devices and professional tools could become secure, integrated parts of the vehicle experience? digital.auto is building an open BYOD Blueprint — implemented and continuously validated in EDCAR.
From a Closed Vehicle to an Extensible Experience Platform
BYOD for vehicles goes beyond smartphone projection and bolt-on gadgets. It connects digitally enabled physical devices with applications, user context and selected vehicle capabilities through controlled, reusable interfaces — spanning personalization, wellness, productivity, outdoor experiences and professional equipment.
Cameras & Content
Wearables & Smart Keys
Gaming & Entertainment
Wellness & Scent
Karaoke & Audio
Professional Devices
Consumer Electronics meets Automotive
UNDERSTANDING THE BYOD LANDSCAPE
Connected devices evolve far faster than vehicle programs. The BYOD opportunity sits at the intersection of OEM platforms, automotive suppliers, consumer-device manufacturers, software ecosystems and emerging standards. digital.auto is creating a permanent home for market intelligence — comparing open and closed ecosystems and tracking how new device categories enter the vehicle.
Open Ecosystem Opportunity
-
Faster access to outside-automotive innovation
-
More personalization and customer choice
-
Reusable integrations and broader developer participation
-
New device, service and marketplace opportunities
Necessary Vehicle Control
-
Safety and cybersecurity boundaries
-
Privacy and data permissions
-
Brand and HMI consistency
-
Lifecycle, update and support responsibilities
-
Clear control over vehicle-function access
Shanghai Auto Show 2025: Xiaomi Analysis — The initial market-analysis asset examines Xiaomi's integration of vehicle, mobile and smart-home ecosystems. It will be updated with other OEMs, platform players and device ecosystems.
COMING SOON.
Start with Experiences, Not Technology
WHAT BECOMES POSSIBLE?
Use cases make the value of BYOD tangible and reveal what the blueprint must support.
Passenger Welcome
Trigger a personalized welcome using seats, HVAC, lighting, displays and media.
Displays & Buttons
Including HW buttons, made by partners and consumer displays.
In-car Apps
Movie UI, car status apps, Motorsports. Including celebrity voices, AI music and AI sound.
Cameras & Content
Mounted cameras use power, connectivity and vehicle position while preserving privacy and safety boundaries.
Accessoires
including air quality, scents, adaption to local preferences (e.g. Japanese gadgets) or German parking clocks.
Professional & Utility
Light-commercial vehicles connect tools, cargo sensors, professional cameras and mobile-workplace devices.
One Blueprint
- from Mounting Point to Vehicle Function
MAKING BYOD INTEROPERABLE
The BYOD Blueprint is digital.auto's main investment and the glue across the entire workstream.
The blueprint defines how third-party devices can be physically integrated, securely connected, discovered and orchestrated — and how their applications interact with infotainment, selected vehicle functions and remote services. It is an executable reference architecture, not only a document.
01
Pysical Integration
Standardized mounting, positioning, power, charging and basic environmental requirements.
04
Distributed Applications
Components on the device, orchestrator ECU, infotainment and optional remote services.
07
Remote Services & Lifecycle
Remote communication, updates, diagnostics, pairing, multi-user operation and data removal.
02
Secure Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, UWB, NFC, USB, pairing, proximity, discovery and quality of service.
05
Infotainment & Marketplace
HMI, configuration, discovery, application distribution and future compatible-device catalogue.
03
BYOD Orchestrator ECU
Identity, permissions, capability management, service mediation, diagnostics and lifecycle orchestration.
06
Controlled Vehicle Functions
Governed access to seats, HVAC, lighting, audio, displays, vehicle state and location
digital.auto reuses existing standards where they fit, validates them through working integrations, identifies gaps and contributes focused implementation evidence to the appropriate communities.
Execute, Validate and Improve
OPERATIONALIZING BYOD
The BYOD workstream translates strategic concepts into working implementations — from virtual environments through reusable development assets to physical vehicle validation.
EDCAR
The living reference implementation. Rapid device integration, end-to-end validation, repeatable demonstrations and direct blueprint feedback — all in a real vehicle.
Hackathon-in-a-Box
Reusable EDCAR components packaged with simulated vehicle services, SDKs, sample adapters and tutorials — no vehicle required.
Creating Value with an Open Device Ecosystem ?
CREATING VALUE WITH BYOD
The technical blueprint creates the foundation, but a scalable BYOD ecosystem also needs viable value models. digital.auto is exploring these questions with OEMs, suppliers, platform providers and device companies — not prescribing one commercial model.
Key Questions We are Exploring:
-
Who creates value?
-
Who capture value?
-
Who owns the customer relationship?
-
What should remain shared vs. OEM - specific?
Exploratory Business-Model Themes
-
Device and application marketplaces
-
Hardware partnerships and preferred-device programmes
-
Integration and enablement services
-
Premium connected services and revenue sharing
-
Developer ecosystems
-
Data-enabled services with clear consent
-
B2B2C and professional vehicle models
From Blueprint to Visible Demonstrator
EXPERIENCE BYOD
EDCAR
The living reference implementation for the BYOD Blueprint and its device integrations
IAA Transportation 2026
Extending the blueprint toward professional and commercial devices in a light commercial vehicle.
Meet the BYOD Workstream Chairs
DRIVING THE INITIATIVE
Chair
Jens Ohler
Jens Ohler brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across the automotive and consumer-electronics industries, spanning product strategy, business development, infotainment, connected services and the bridge between automotive platforms and fast-moving technology ecosystems.
As Workstream Chair, he coordinates the development of the BYOD Blueprint, partner and device engagement, demonstrators and market-facing activities.
Co-Chair
Andreas Kerschbaumer
Andreas is specialized in the automotive sector with a proven track record in business development, program management, marketing strategy, and event execution. Skilled at identifying growth opportunities, building strategic partnerships, and leading cross-functional initiatives from concept to successful launch and sustainable scale.
He strong expertise in market analysis, go-to-market strategies, and maintaining long-term relationships with OEMs, suppliers, and key stakeholders.
Bring a Vehicle, Platform Component or Device
The workstream is open to OEMs, automotive suppliers, technology companies, device manufacturers, software companies, researchers, startups and developers. Participation is practical and contribution-led.
Bring a Use Case or Device
Contribute a real device or use case to validate and extend the blueprint.
Validate the Blueprint
Test the blueprint against an OEM architecture or contribute an orchestrator platform, middleware or connectivity component.
Build and Integrate
Build a device adapter or application, define mounting and API patterns, or join benchmarking activities.
Explore the Full BYOD Initiative
Dive deeper into each dimension of the BYOD work stream through dedicated resources.
The BYOD Blueprint
The full executable reference architecture — from mounting point to vehicle function.
Introduction &
Use Cases
Explore the full range of BYOD use cases and the opportunity they represent.
Scaling BYOD as OEM
Strategic and operational guidance for OEMs building a BYOD-ready vehicle platform
BYOD Events
Hackathons, DevJams, Plug-Fests and showcase events - past and upcoming.
BYOD Benchmarking
Market intelligence comparing OEM platforms, device ecosystems and open vs. closed approaches.
digital.auto BYOD Workstream participants
