The recent $5 billion partnership between Volkswagen Group and Rivian has shed light on an interesting development. Well before the announcement of the collaboration, VW Group had been strategically recruiting top talent from Rivian to strengthen its software capabilities.
A review of LinkedIn data by TechCrunch reveals that VW Group’s struggling software division, Cariad, has hired at least 23 key employees from Rivian over the past few months. These hires include top positions such as chief software officer, chief product security officer, vice presidents, and principal engineers. The majority of these new recruits held senior software roles at Rivian, with many joining this year.
These hires precede any formal agreement between VW and Rivian, indicating VW’s proactive approach to securing software talent from Rivian to drive innovation. As the joint venture between the two companies continues to take shape, the early recruitment efforts are expected to play a crucial role in enhancing their software and electrical architecture offerings.
The influx of new talent from Rivian has significantly boosted Cariad’s efforts to establish a Silicon Valley outpost in Mountain View called the SDV Hub, where the focus is on developing the next-generation “software 2.0” architecture. Sanjay Lal, who spearheaded Rivian’s infotainment and middleware development, was hired by Cariad in fall 2023 to lead the SDV Hub’s initiatives. This hub is instrumental in creating a unified software platform for all VW Group brands.
While both Rivian and VW have acknowledged the hiring spree, they refrain from commenting on any potential involvement of these employees in the VW-Rivian joint venture, highlighting the importance of focusing on the initial stages of their collaboration.
As Cariad undergoes a restructuring phase, following internal challenges and executive changes, the emphasis is now on advancing towards the software 2.0 architecture to align with the EV industry’s evolving landscape. The recruitment of talent from Rivian signifies a shift in Cariad’s hiring strategy towards sourcing skills from tech-driven organizations rather than traditional automotive sources.
It’s worth noting that VW is not alone in tapping into startup talent like Rivian. Ford and other industry players are also leveraging expertise from innovative companies to accelerate their EV development efforts, emphasizing the growing importance of software-driven solutions in the automotive sector.
