Award Nominations Accepted for the 2026 Software-Defined Vehicle Innovation Prizes
The SDV Innovator Awards are back for their fourth year, and they are bigger than ever. This prestigious event, which celebrates individuals redefining the automotive industry, has seen significant growth since its inception at CES in 2022 in Las Vegas.
The awards, which honour experts, leaders, and pioneers in the automotive marketplace, are returning thanks to the continued support of founding sponsor QNX and new partner Vector, a key player in embedded automotive electronics systems.
Dr. Matthias Traub, Managing Director at Vector, believes that collaboration is a key driver for the successful development of software-defined vehicles. "We are thrilled to be a part of the SDV Innovator Awards and to support the recognition of those who are pushing the boundaries of innovation in our industry," he said.
The awards have a wide range of categories, including the Pioneer category, which recognises individuals who have broken new ground within the software-defined vehicle (SDV) space. The Leader category honours exceptional individuals in senior management positions, while the Expert category celebrates subject matter experts within specific SDV disciplines.
Nominations for the awards are open now and can be submitted by visiting our website.com/SDVSurvey. The deadline for nominations is 11:59 p.m. PT on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
Last year's winners included Magnus Östberg, Chief Software Officer at Mercedes-Benz AG, and Darren Palmer, Vice President of Electric Vehicle Programs at Ford Model e, Ford Motor Company. Other notable nominees for this year's awards include Carsten Hurasky, SVP Marketing at QNX, who has also stated that the fourth year of the SDV Innovator Awards is returning.
The winners will be announced during a private VIP ceremony and gala event in conjunction with CES 2026 in Las Vegas on January 6. The winner of the SDV Innovator Award 2026 in the "Expert" category will be announced at a VIP ceremony during CES 2026, but the specific recipient has not yet been disclosed.
Ed Loh, group head of editorial at our website, stated that the automotive industry is rapidly evolving thanks to software-powered digital innovations. "The SDV Innovator Awards are a testament to the incredible talent and innovation that is shaping the future of the automotive industry," he said. "We are excited to see the nominations come in and to celebrate the winners at the awards ceremony next year."
The awards call forward talent from cutting-edge automotive and technology companies worldwide, such as Nvidia, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, Qualcomm, Ford, Rivian, Lucid, Nio, Xpeng, and many more. The awards are expected to be even more remarkable this year due to the rapid advances of AI.
The SDV Innovator Awards is the first and only industry award program to celebrate experts, leaders, and pioneers in the automotive marketplace. If you know someone who is making a significant impact in the SDV industry, be sure to nominate them for the SDV Innovator Awards today.
