The AGL Open Source Program Office (OSPO) Expert Group (EG) launched last Fall to enable automakers and suppliers to share best practices and make it easier for engineers across the industry to contribute to open source software.
Led by Toyota with support from Panasonic Automotive Systems, AISIN Corporation, and Honda, the group has made significant progress over the past six months, including new publications for broader industry use and a co-hosted event with the OpenChain Project Automotive Work Group to introduce open source community activities related to the automotive industry to engineers in Japan.
New OSPO Publications Available to the Community
The OSPO EG has developed several assets that are now available to the broader community to help advance open source contribution and participation. Read on to learn more for descriptions of the publications, which are available on the AGL OSPO-EG Confluence page here, in both English and Japanese.
1) OSPO Promotion Deck: The Value of Open Source
Engineers in the automotive industry often face challenges when seeking approval to participate in open source communities because their managers or executives may not understand the business value of open source engagement.
Developed in collaboration with the TODO Group, the OSPO Promotion Deck explains the importance of fostering open source community engagement and the role of the Open Source Program Office (OSPO) to key internal stakeholders in the automotive industry, including executives, development leaders, and IP/legal teams. The deck is a template that companies can customize as needed, and we encourage companies to contribute their additions back to the community.
2) Automotive OSPO Showcase: Real Business Examples
A recurring theme in community meetings is the desire to understand how other companies in the industry are structuring and operating their OSPOs. To reduce the time needed for individual benchmarking, the Automotive OSPO Showcase shares real examples of OSPOs in the automotive industry, including size, structure, functions and the open source communities they participate in.
Currently, Bosch, Honda, Toyota, and one anonymous automaker have contributed to this initiative. The showcase will expand as new OSPOs are launched, such as Panasonic Automotive Systems, which recently established its OSPO in April 2025.
3) OSS Contribution – Illusion and Reality
Some engineers hesitate to contribute to open source because they assume it means publishing their own developed software, which can feel like a high barrier. This deck, mainly targeting beginners and management, explains how to contribute to open source and tips for removing such barriers. The OSS Contribution – Illusion and Reality Deck also includes best practices for encouraging a wider range of engineers to contribute, such as focusing on smaller and easier tasks.
Community Input Needed: OSPO Survey
To continue driving needs-based activities, the OSPO EG has launched a short survey to better understand the challenges engineers face when engaging with open source communities.
Please take a few minutes to complete the survey in English or Japanese and share your thoughts, which will play a crucial role in shaping the direction of our future community efforts.
Get Involved
Since the launch of the OSPO EG last year, global community members have been holding biweekly meetings to discuss industry challenges and potential solutions. These meetings are open to everyone, so if you’re interested, please feel free to join us. Meeting details are available here.
The OSPO EG will continue to openly consolidate knowledge related to OSPOs in the automotive industry and support companies in establishing and operating their own OSPOs. If you have any challenges or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the community members via the OSPO EG mail list or join the OSPO EG channel on the AGL Discord server.
