Parent company Stellantis wants to settle parts of the software development in Rüsselsheim.
(Photo: imago images/Hoffmann)
Munich When it comes to the digital networking of its vehicles, Opel has so far been considered a latecomer in the automotive industry. In order to close the gap to the competition, the Hessians now want to increase the speed of development by a factor of twenty through their parent company Stellantis.
To this end, the fourth-largest vehicle manufacturer in the world is making pacts with tech giants such as Amazon and Foxconn. On the other hand, Stellantis is massively upgrading itself. Within the next two years alone, the 14-brand car colossus wants to put together a team of 4,500 software engineers. The project, internally dubbed “Software X”, is intended to create several digital hubs around the world. One of them is planned at Opel’s headquarters.
“As part of Stellantis’ software strategy, we are currently building one of the Software X software units planned worldwide in Rüsselsheim,” announced Opel HR Manager Ralph Wangemann in an internal employee message on March 14. The letter is available to the Handelsblatt. According to this, “clever minds” are being sought in Rüsselsheim who code software, develop connectivity solutions and research artificial intelligence.
There are currently more than two dozen job vacancies that Opel employees can apply for. “Many more will follow,” says Wangemann. “Take a look, you might find an exciting job there for you.”
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The offer is broad. Among other things, they are looking for test engineers for the validation of control units and software platforms. But project and team leaders who take care of vehicle system integration would also be in demand.
Software development as part of the training
In 2022 alone, Opel apparently wants to create more than a hundred new jobs as part of the “Software X” project in Rüsselsheim. In a circular email from the Opel works council, it says: “This year, jobs in the lower three-digit range are initially to be created.” According to their own statements, the employee representatives have worked towards the new unit not only reporting to Stellantis software boss Yves Bonnefont, but also to is directly connected to the Opel management.
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The works councils “strongly supported” the development of the new software organization. However, further investments will be necessary in the future. “In order not to end up on the sidelines technologically, further job creation will have to follow in the medium term,” stated the trade unionists. “That’s why we also demand that software development be anchored as a new focus in our vocational training for skilled workers and dual students alike.”
In addition, the works councils want to discuss qualification programs with the Opel management “promptly” so that the company not only hires new people, but also uses existing staff. Labor Director Wangemann emphasizes that as an Opel engineer you can definitely “make a career at Stellantis”.
Many skills of the Opel developers are no longer needed
Internally, some do not share this assessment. The establishment of a software hub in Rüsselsheim is a positive signal. “But that’s no substitute for the jobs that are lost in conventional vehicle development,” complains one manager. “Significant” workloads have long since been relocated from the Rüsselsheim development center – the former ITEZ and now Technical Center Central Europe – to more economical locations such as Morocco.
In addition, many of the 15 competence centers once announced for development in Rüsselsheim will soon become obsolete. Manual transmissions are dying out. The need for innovations in fuel supply will probably become obsolete with the full electrification of the Opel fleet by 2028 in Europe. And when it comes to vehicle development for the US market, other Stellantis brands have far more know-how.
All in all, quite a few at Opel fear that despite the new software offensive in Rüsselsheim, more jobs could be cut in the coming years than new ones will be created.
More: “Death blow for engineering” – Opel wants to sell old and new company headquarters in Rüsselsheim