SOAFEE Pushes Automakers Toward a Software-First Future

Created by Arm, SOAFEE unites automakers and tech firms to modernize vehicle software, cut delays, and make cars easier to update

6 Feb 2026

Software is becoming central to how cars are designed, built and maintained, forcing automakers to rethink long-standing development models. An industry-led initiative known as SOAFEE is emerging as one of the clearest attempts to impose order on a software ecosystem long shaped by fragmentation and hardware constraints.

Founded and led by chip designer Arm, SOAFEE, the Scalable Open Architecture for Embedded Edge, brings together carmakers, suppliers and technology companies around a shared framework for developing vehicle software. Its core aim is to allow software to be developed, tested and validated in the cloud before being deployed to vehicles, reducing late-stage failures and easing updates once cars are in use.

For much of the industry’s history, automotive software has been written for specific components and tightly bound to individual pieces of hardware. That approach made updates complex, slow and expensive. As software now controls safety systems, driver assistance and infotainment, the limits of that model have become more apparent.

SOAFEE promotes common standards and development practices drawn from cloud computing, including virtualisation and continuous testing. Supporters argue this allows carmakers to treat vehicles less as finished products and more as platforms that can evolve throughout their lifecycle.

Arm has been explicit about that shift. Vehicles, the company argues, must be designed to receive frequent updates and new features long after leaving the factory, a task that is difficult to manage without shared frameworks across the supply chain.

Some software companies are already aligning their products with the approach. Sibros, which provides connected vehicle and remote update tools, says SOAFEE principles allow automakers to deploy fixes and new features across entire fleets, reducing the need for physical recalls or dealership visits.

Cloud providers are also becoming more involved. Services from groups such as Amazon Web Services enable carmakers to simulate complex edge cases and validate software at scale before launch, improving reliability and shortening development cycles.

The transition brings challenges. Carmakers must adapt internal workflows, meet regulatory requirements and protect sensitive data and intellectual property. Even so, industry momentum is building. As vehicles become increasingly defined by code, collaboration and standardisation are emerging as competitive necessities rather than optional extras.