Laurent Balzano: Aptiv VP Explains How Software-Defined Vehicles Will Change Driving by 2030

Laurent Balzano oversees one of the automotive industry's most ambitious technological shifts. As Vice President of Aptiv's Engineering Delivery Organization, he manages 3,300 engineers across three continents working on autonomy, software-defined vehicles, and next-generation cockpit systems. The numbers tell the story—Balzano commands a $250 million annual budget, with teams operating development centers in Poland and India. The goal is to build technology that enables cars to update as smartphones do.

Balzano left France in 2006 to work at Delphi in Luxembourg. His breakthrough came when he secured Aptiv's first onboard charger contract with BMW—a $300 million business that earned him the Don Alquist Award. When the Renault RACAM program hit trouble, Balzano coordinated teams across six countries to deliver radar and camera systems for automatic emergency braking. The turnaround earned him the EPIC Award for engineering excellence. By 2020, Aptiv brought him to Massachusetts to fill several VP-level roles, culminating in his current role leading software-defined vehicle architectures.

The Fundamental Challenge Facing Automakers

Traditional automakers face a fundamental problem. Most remain rigorously structured along functional domains—separate teams for engines, brakes, entertainment. Each controls its own electronic control units. "This siloed model worked for hardware-driven architectures but is incompatible with Software-Defined Vehicles," Balzano says. "SDV requires domain convergence into centralized compute units."

The shift demands cultural transformation beyond new technology. Automakers must move from hardware release cycles to continuous software delivery with DevOps and over-the-air updates—capabilities historically handled by Tier 1 suppliers like Aptiv. Now OEMs need to build these capabilities internally, challenging organizational structures that have existed for decades.

Aptiv competes against top automakers and tech companies in automotive software. Balzano's strategy leverages automotive expertise rather than mimicking tech companies. "Tech giants excel in software, but automotive is a highly regulated, safety-critical domain," he notes. The company develops modular compute platforms integrating with OEM architectures while partnering with cloud providers and semiconductor leaders. This approach allows automakers to customize features while benefiting from proven hardware-software integration that meets functional safety and cybersecurity standards.

Global Engineering Operations at Scale

Balzano's teams in Poland and India use follow-the-sun development for seamless 24-hour progress. Teams are organized by product line—Autonomy, Cockpit, and Software-Defined Vehicle—with embedded capabilities in system, software, hardware, safety, and cybersecurity. Poland handles advanced system engineering and vehicle validation, while India focuses on software development, scale, and independent testing.

Managing transformation across continents requires empowering teams so that progress doesn't depend on a single person. "When people know the vision and feel ownership, you can step back without slowing progress," Balzano says. Living in Greater Boston influences his approach—access to MIT, Harvard, and tech startups reinforces agile thinking while maintaining automotive rigor.

What's Actually Coming in the Next Five Years

Balzano predicts intelligence embedded everywhere rather than widespread full autonomy. Vehicles will operate as software-defined platforms with continuous updates. AI will enable predictive maintenance and personalized environments while reducing accidents. Cybersecurity becomes foundational as cars communicate with infrastructure and with one another.

Aptiv focuses on three initiatives: scalable architectures for over-the-air updates, autonomous technologies for highway and urban navigation, and embedded cybersecurity and AI. "The result will be roads that are safer, greener, and more efficient," Balzano says. For an industry transitioning from hardware to software, Balzano bridges European engineering discipline with American innovation velocity—combining decades of automotive system knowledge with the rapid iteration demanded by tech-driven markets, ultimately steering us toward a safer, greener, and more intelligent mobility future.