Renault-Nissan Creates Mobility Tech Unit

The Renault-Nissan alliance is launching a new tech division that will focus on software development and cloud engineering systems for autonomous and connected vehicles.

The advanced technology unit will be staffed by 300 software engineers the partners began hiring this summer, Automotive News says, confirming previous reports. The carmakers are advertising on recruitment websites such as LinkedIn for people with expertise in software and cloud engineering, data analytics, machine learning and systems architecture, AN notes.

The group will be led by Ogi Redzic, who joined Renault-Nissan in January. He previously worked at Navteq’s Here maps division, which was purchased last year by Audi, BMW and Daimler.

The mobility tech group will operate independently of its parent companies to stimulate a startup culture that spurs innovation and accelerates development, AN says. Renault-Nissan, which aims to launch more than 10 vehicles with autonomous driving features by 2020, last month acquired French software company Sylpheo and its 40-person engineering staff. The alliance also recently inked a deal with Microsoft Corp. to develop next-generation car systems.