Most automotive OEMs & Tier1 suppliers have cautiously been following the SDV landscape for the past 2 years. AI has revolutionized development, making it a compelling reason to reassess supplier lists. Here are 12 data points to evaluate next-gen SDV suppliers more efficiently.
Previously, getting SDV (software-defined vehicle)-development work done in the automotive industry meant awarding large development contracts to a few large partners that contributed with a major workforce.
However, this has changed, with software becoming a defining factor in how quickly vehicles are pushed to market and function in the hands of the customer. Additionally, the entire development process and time-to-market have undergone significant changes with an AI-powered workforce that completes work faster than ever before.
Ever since automotive companies recognized that software is the new core of vehicle development, they have shared the understanding that it needs to be developed under their control and in an agile manner.
Awarding a $100M contract to develop a software component over 4 years doesn’t cut it anymore. The pace of change is too fast, and customers expect software updates to be pushed to their vehicles continuously and immediately.
While the 2010s and 2020s so far have been dominated by large external players, we now see a clear trend of more work being moved either in-house hiring or awarded to product-oriented delivery teams from smaller, more agile suppliers.
In this article, we will examine a few key criteria for evaluating SMB suppliers in this new world.
It was easier to choose a supplier for your project previously. You had a few large partners you always worked with and could trust to deliver what you needed. Today’s reality is different. New players have formed smaller, and more agile teams that develop both software components and services much faster than traditional legacy suppliers could.
Evaluating these suppliers through traditional metrics (headcount, location, previous relationship) isn’t enough anymore. A new method is needed. We have therefore assembled a list of 12 data points to look for when evaluating next-gen SDV suppliers:
Most suppliers don’t volunteer this kind of granular information, not because they’re hiding it, but because no one ever asked in the right way.
Traditional RFQs and directories only capture surface-level facts: headcount, office locations, and vague service categories. Digging deeper usually means weeks of email chains, PDF brochures, and unstructured sales calls, all of which make meaningful comparison nearly impossible.
Hashlist solves this by standardizing supplier profiles across 100+ vendors. Every supplier is onboarded with structured data covering certifications, delivery models, team compositions, pricing, past customers, and technical competencies, making apples-to-apples comparison finally possible.
You can filter by ECU type, toolchain expertise, cybersecurity certifications, or even specific SoC experience, and immediately see which suppliers match. Instead of chasing information, buyers are now empowered to discover and shortlist relevant vendors in minutes.
In the new world of automotive development, the best suppliers aren’t the biggest. They’re the fastest, most product-minded, and deeply integrated with modern SDV toolchains.
If you’re still evaluating partners using legacy criteria, you risk missing the companies that can actually move your program forward.
To learn more about our SDV supplier platform, get in touch: https://www.hashlist.com/get-started
Hashlist is the world's leading marketplace for software-defined vehicle suppliers & engineers, 100% verticalised for the modern SDV-industry.
