BMW interested in software solutions ‘made in Romania’

BMW Group representatives met on Thursday to Bucharest, after a selection process, with almost 40 Romanian IT companies, having the first talks in order to seek potential partners and suppliers in domestic software industry for collaboration.

“The IT industry become more important to the automotive industry in general and for BMW Group in particular, a company with tradition of innovation and the for which the digitalization plays an increasingly important role. In this respect, the BMW Group officials visited Romania to explore new opportunities in the software industry to find new partners and suppliers. It’s about a project that was launched last autumn, with the visit of former PM Mr. Dacian Ciolos to BMW Group and continues now with the support of the Romanian Government, through PM Mr. Sorin Grindeanu, the Ministry for the Environment Business, Trade and Entrepreneurship and InvestRomania ,” a press release informs.

In his press statement, Joachim Goldbach, BMW Vice President Purchasing, QMP Informations and Communication electronics, ConnectedDrive , and the one who led the BMW delegation in Bucharest, pointed out that Romania provides many talents in IT&C companies. This is one of the reasons why the country is attractive for the carmaker. The companies interested in the partnership will hold a pitch and the most suitable will be chosen.

In turn, Alexandru Petrescu, minister for Business Environment, said that for this initiative that started at the Government level, BMW contacted Romanian officials ever since last year.

“Again, this is a proof that Romania is not attractive just  from the low salaries perspective, but more for supplying  added value products and services for global companies like BMW,” Petrescu said.

As part of its centenary celebrations, BMW has launched in 2016 a new plan for the future called Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT, putting autonomous driving and “electric mobility” in focus, built on the A.C.E.S. concept – Autonomous, Connected, Electrified and Shared.

For this, BMW Group has developed a number of important strategic partnerships to support the development of new technologies, such as autonomous driving. Thus, in partnership with Daimler AG and Audi AG, BMW Group acquired the HERE Maps, to support the development of HD maps, of very good quality. Through collaboration with Mobileye, -which comes with the best experience in the development of car sensors and Intel – which provides high power processing technology, BMW Group has set up an open platform for autonomous driving and will support the BMW iNEXT launch in 2021, the first model of the German premium car brand that offers these features, the one “which heralds the next era of mobility.”