![[Free Registration] Seminar Announcement: “New Era of Offshore Development – Accelerating DX with AI”](https://vti.com.vn/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Banner-vuong.png)
On September 10, 2025, Mr. Masaki Gondo – CEO, CTO, President & Representative Director of eSOL, a leading Japanese technology company in the automotive field – delivered an insightful keynote at the seminar “Driving the Future: From Cross-Industry Experience to SDV” held at VTI Building, Hanoi.
Renowned as an industry leader in Software Defined Vehicle (SDV), Mr. Gondo engaged with around 50 participants, all eager to explore how SDV is reshaping the future of mobility.
SDV – The Next Frontier of the Automotive Industry
Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) refers to vehicles in which software is the primary driver of functionality and innovation, while hardware serves as a supporting platform. Unlike traditional vehicles bound by hardware constraints, SDV enables continuous updates, feature enhancements, and new services through software, much like smartphones.
This paradigm shift is transforming the automotive sector from a hardware-driven model to flexible, software-centric ecosystems, creating vast opportunities for technology companies.
Seminar Highlights
At the seminar, participants gained a clear understanding of the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) concept—from decoding its definition to exploring the latest technology trends and applications shaping the automotive industry. Mr. Gondo also shared his forward-looking vision, offering insights into how the industry will continue to evolve over the next five to ten years.
Beyond exploring emerging technologies and strengthening domain knowledge, the VTI team had the valuable opportunity to engage directly with Mr. Gondo, exchanging ideas and learning from one of Japan’s leading SDV experts. The event fostered an open, insightful, and energetic atmosphere, making it both an informative and inspiring experience for all attendees.
One particularly thought-provoking question asked during the Q&A session, whether the rise of SDV, which can significantly extend the lifespan of vehicles, might disrupt the revenue model of OEM manufacturers.
Mr. Gondo admitted that “it’s hard to predict exactly what will happen,” but drew an analogy to the smartphone market: “Apple continues to support older models—like the iPhone 11—even while selling the iPhone 17”. He suggested that the automotive industry could follow a similar path, where longer-lasting products coexist with new releases.
Looking further ahead, he highlighted how autonomous driving and car-sharing trends—already popular in Japan—could fundamentally reshape vehicle ownership. “If a car can come to you whenever you need it, why own one?” he posed, noting that such a shift might reduce individual car ownership and Internal Combustion Engine vehicle production, while boosting shared mobility services like Uber and its competitors.
Strengthening Automotive Capabilities and Collaboration
The seminar is part of eSOL’s business trip to Vietnam, including a visit to VTI’s headquarters. VTI’s CTO (Mr. Pham Thanh Ha) and Head of the Automotive Division (Mr. Nguyen Minh Thao) welcomed Mr. Gondo, marking an important milestone as VTI strengthens engagement and expands its reach with Japanese automotive customers.
Building on VTI’s cross-industry digital transformation experience—spanning Manufacturing, Retail, BFSI, Healthcare, and more—this collaboration aligns with VTI’s Domain-Consulting-Solution (DCS) strategic direction and reinforces its readiness to scale into the automotive sector. This sector promises high-value technology projects, international partnerships, and opportunities to co-create next-generation mobility solutions.
During his visit to VTI Building, in addition to speaking at the seminar, Mr. Gondo also enjoyed a company tour. Impressed by VTI’s large and dynamic workforce, he raised an engaging question: “How does VTI keep its members motivated?”
VTI places strong emphasis on work–life balance, regularly organizing international team-building activities and hosting popular internal events such as the AI Hackathon and VTI Champion League. These initiatives help foster team spirit, inspire innovation, and keep employees energized and engaged.
Moving Forward
The “Driving the Future: From Cross-Industry Experience to SDV” seminar not only deepened understanding of SDV but also signaled VTI’s strong commitment to expanding into the automotive industry. By combining its multi-sector expertise with eSOL’s leading SDV capabilities, VTI is well-positioned to accelerate innovation and play a key role in shaping the future of software-defined mobility.
