OREANDA-NEWS. June 19, 2018. Following successful collaboration in the past, the BMW Group and CRITICAL Software are now planning a strategic expansion of their cooperation. The two companies have reached an agreement to form a joint venture entitled Critical TechWorks, subject to examination of and approval from the relevant competition authorities.

By creating this joint venture, the BMW Group is further moving along its transformation into a mobility tech company as part of its NUMBER ONE > NEXT strategy. Critical TechWorks will complement the highly experienced and constantly expanding BMW Group network in the fields of software development and IT. The two partners stand to benefit from CRITICAL Software’s many years of experience in agile software development and the over 100 years of experience of the BMW Group in the advancement of ground-breaking premium mobility.

Critical TechWorks will be bringing its expertise to bear in vehicle connectivity, cloud-based IT solutions and the digitalisation of corporate processes. The joint venture seeks to initiate interdisciplinary collaboration both in the customer-relevant fields of infotainment and digital services, and when it comes to the digitalisation and automation of product development, production and sales.

The BMW Group’s stake in Critical TechWorks secures it access to the know-how and skills of a highly successful European software development company. The Lisbon and Porto locations are witnessing particularly dynamic growth in this sector. Together with the companies already located in Portugal, this is contributing to the emergence of a European technology ecosystem for the development of digital services and products.

At the same time, the BMW Group is increasing the number of IT and software development employees both in Germany and at its many other facilities around the world. Through its commitment to building both its range of skills and its internal capabilities, the BMW Group is strongly placed to play an active role in shaping the digital revolution in the automotive industry.

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2017, the BMW Group sold over 2,463,500 passenger vehicles and more than 164,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2017 was € 10.655 billion on revenues amounting to € 98.678 billion. As of 31 December 2017, the BMW Group had a workforce of 129,932 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.