How to Maintain Strong OEM-Supplier Alliances | with Augustin Friedel of MHP – A Porsche Company

In this episode of The Garage podcast, recorded live at CES 2026, host John Heinlein interviews Augustin Friedel, Associated Partner for Software Defined Vehicles at MHP - A Porsche Company. Augustine shares insights from his extensive study 'The Power of Partnerships' and discusses why partnerships have become critical for success in the automotive industry's transformation. The conversation covers Augustin's diverse background from mechanical engineering to startups like Uber Germany, and his current role helping automotive companies navigate connected vehicle solutions and AI integration. They explore different types of partnerships, from enterprise IT to product partnerships, and discuss how companies can measure partnership success through KPIs like speed to market, cost reduction, and customer satisfaction. Augustin emphasizes that no OEM or supplier can handle the complexity of software-defined and AI-defined vehicles alone, making partnerships the key differentiator. The discussion also covers partnership risks, cultural alignment challenges, and how companies can develop better partnership proficiency. Throughout the conversation, they highlight how AI is expanding across vehicle subsystems and requiring new approaches to data management and infrastructure partnerships.Augustin Friedel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/friedel/The Power of Partnerships study: https://www.mhp.com/en/insights/what-we-think/the-power-of-partnershipsChapters:0:00 Introduction to Partnerships in Automotive0:38 Guest Introduction: Augustine Friedel3:29 Augustin Friedel on LinkedIn4:55 The Importance of Partnerships6:38 Balancing Standardization and Differentiation7:58 Types of Partnerships in Automotive9:12 SDV to AI-Defined Vehicle12:24 Measuring Success in Partnerships13:53 Partnership Proficiency and Skills17:18 Risks and Downsides of Partnerships19:38 Conclusion and Future Outlook