BMW joins China's open-source innovation center

BMW has become the first foreign automaker to join the Open Source Innovation Development Promotion Center under the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, marking a major step in its local collaboration strategy and commitment to the "software-defined vehicle" era.

The move underscores BMW's effort to deepen cooperation with Chinese partners in intelligent and digital R&D, and to build an open, shared automotive software ecosystem.

By leveraging open-source collaboration, BMW aims to accelerate innovation, improve development efficiency, and deliver more personalized, intelligent driving experiences for Chinese users.

"In China, we see extraordinary vitality in digital innovation," said Robert Kahlenberg, senior vice-president of R&D at BMW China. "We will leverage China's strengths in frontier technologies and innovation ecosystems to support BMW Group's digital transformation."

A representative from the Open Source Innovation Development Promotion Center welcomed BMW's participation, saying China's open-source ecosystem has entered a stage of high-quality development under strong policy guidance and industry collaboration.

The representative said BMW's participation will bring valuable global experience, helping accelerate innovation in software stability, security and toolchain development.

BMW is among the earliest foreign automakers to establish full-stack software R&D capabilities in China.

Over the past two decades, it has built its largest R&D network outside Germany, with four innovation hubs and three software companies across Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang in Liaoning province and Nanjing in Jiangsu province.

With the arrival of locally produced Neue Klasse vehicles in 2026, BMW's open-source collaboration is expected to further strengthen its intelligent and digital capabilities in China—delivering smarter, more connected, and more engaging driving experiences for local customers.