PSW automotive engineering

What PSW automotive engineering does

PSW automotive engineering GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Audi AG, founded in 1988 in Gaimersheim, Germany, that operates as a 'general developer' for whole vehicles and subsystems. The company delivers end-to-end automotive engineering services across seven core disciplines: technical project steering, electronics and automated driving, overall system integration, interior, body and exterior, vehicle safety, and climate/thermal/aerodynamics/wiring systems. Its service portfolio spans from innovative concept development and complete vehicle/platform construction through virtual validation to series production approval.

PSW's technical differentiation rests on a virtual development methodology that has produced documented efficiency gains — for the Audi e-tron GT, wind tunnel testing was reduced from 1,000 to 150 hours and main vehicle configurations from 200+ to 18, supported by the proprietary Virtual Vehicle Fleet system (the first of its kind adopted by a development service provider) and internal tools including the PSW Car Tool and the procom project management platform. The company also develops fuel cell integration capabilities (h-tron project) and runs approximately 400 engineering projects per year from a headcount of roughly 1,000 experts across Gaimersheim headquarters and a secondary facility in Neckarsulm.

The business model is a professional services / project-based engineering services model with revenue generated through project contracts for vehicle and subsystem development. As a captive supplier inside the Volkswagen Group, the primary customer is Audi AG and Audi Sport; operating geographies extend to Sweden, the USA, China, and Italy in support of Audi programs. Pricing is determined through individual project negotiations and is not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held (no public ticker), is registered as a GmbH in Germany, and holds TÜV Süd quality management certification, GDPR compliance, and an environmental compliance management system aligned with VW's goTOzero strategy.

Name

PSW automotive engineering

Legal name

PSW automotive engineering GmbH

Website

https://psw-engineering.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

PSW automotive engineering GmbH is a 100% Audi AG subsidiary providing end-to-end automotive engineering services across vehicle safety, aerodynamics, electronics, thermal management, and full-vehicle development, serving primarily Audi and the Volkswagen Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Engineering Services

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (3361)

SIC

Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies (3711)

akta.pro primary industry

Passenger Vehicle Platform Engineering & Integration (ICE) (IMACAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Automotive PTC Heaters, Heat Pumps & Auxiliary Heating Systems (IMACALAI)

Keywords

• Automotive engineering services
• Vehicle development
• Thermal management
• Virtual development
• Aerodynamics simulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaimersheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Engineering Development Services: PSW operates as a 100% subsidiary of Audi AG providing automotive engineering development services. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts for vehicle development, from concept through series production. The company accepts whole vehicle and derivative development projects, system integration, and technical project management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PSW automotive engineering is a 100% subsidiary of Audi AG that provides comprehensive automotive engineering services covering the entire vehicle development lifecycle, from concept through series production. Core offerings include technical project steering, electronics and automated driving, overall system integration, interior, body and exterior, vehicle safety, and climate/thermal/aerodynamics/wiring systems. The company acts as a 'general developer', delivering whole-vehicle and derivative development programs supported by virtual development methodologies and simulation.

Product overview

PSW automotive engineering is a 100% subsidiary of Audi AG providing comprehensive automotive engineering development services. The company operates as a general developer offering integrated mobility technologies under one roof, from innovative concept development through complete vehicle and platform construction to virtual validation and series approval. Their core services include seven main engineering disciplines: Technical Project Steering (efficient project management), Electronics and Automated Driving (integrated intelligent systems), Overall System (comprehensive vehicle integration), Interior (modular user experience), Body and Exterior (design and release-ready engineering), Vehicle Safety (comprehensive safety systems), and Climate/Thermal/Aerodynamics/Wiring Systems. The company also developed proprietary internal tools including the PSW Car Tool for assistance system testing and a Virtual Vehicle Fleet methodology for digital vehicle visualization. With approximately 1000 employees and 400 engineering projects annually, PSW serves as a leading development partner for future mobility, particularly for Audi and the Volkswagen Group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Technical Project Steering (Technische Projektsteuerung)
• Electronics and Automated Driving (Elektronik, Automatisiertes Fahren) Integrated and intelligent electronics development and automated driving systems engineering, covering E/E architecture and ADAS features for next-generation vehicles.
• Overall System Development (Gesamtsystem) Comprehensive full-vehicle system development and integration services, including total vehicle architecture and cross-domain integration.
• Interior Development (Interieur) Interior development services including modularity, user experience, and occupant comfort features for passenger vehicles.
• Body and Exterior Development (Karosserie & Exterieur) Body and exterior engineering with focus on design, installation space optimization, and manufacturing feasibility for series production.
• Vehicle Safety Engineering (Fahrzeugsicherheit) Comprehensive vehicle safety engineering including passive safety systems and crash-testing simulation for regulatory and consumer rating compliance.
• Climate, Thermal, Aerodynamics and Wiring Systems (Klimatisierung / Thermosystem / Aerodynamik / Bordnetz) Integrated development of climate control, thermal management, aerodynamics, and vehicle wiring systems, optimized for efficiency and series readiness.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced wind tunnel testing from 1000 hours to 150 hours for Audi e-tron GT through simulation focus
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Audi AGcoreOthers · 1 January 1988PSW automotive engineering GmbH is a 100% subsidiary of Audi AG. Founded in 1988 as a three-man operation, PSW has grown into a major automotive development partner providing comprehensive vehicle engineering services. The relationship is parent-subsidiary rather than traditional partnership - Audi is the owner and primary customer.
• Technical University of Ingolstadt (THI)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSW entered into cooperation with THI to help motivated refugee university graduates get a good start to their careers. THI promotes language skills and supplements qualifications with digital skills. Includes a 20-week internship program at PSW.
• ERC IngolstadtminorOthersPSW partners with ERC Ingolstadt (local ice hockey club) for charitable activities including donations and community engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AVL List GmbH: One of the world's largest independent automotive engineering services firms, headquartered in Austria, with comparable full-vehicle and powertrain development capabilities and similar enterprise-customer model serving global OEMs.
• FEV Group GmbH: German-headquartered automotive engineering services provider offering powertrain, vehicle, and software development, with similar headcount scale and premium-OEM customer base, making it one of the closest direct comparables to PSW.
• IAV GmbH: German automotive engineering services firm providing powertrain, electronics, and vehicle development to global OEMs, with comparable scale and a similar premium-OEM focus that closely parallels PSW's service portfolio.
• EDAG Engineering Group AG: German independent automotive engineering services provider with comparable full-vehicle, body, and production engineering services, serving similar OEM customers - the closest publicly-listed comparable to PSW's service mix.
• Bertrandt AG: German automotive engineering services provider with similar headcount, full-vehicle development capabilities, and a strong premium-OEM customer base - directly comparable to PSW in scale, services, and customer overlap.
• Porsche Engineering Group GmbH: Captive engineering services subsidiary of Porsche AG (VW Group sibling), offering near-identical full-vehicle and systems engineering services - the most direct organizational analogue to PSW within the same corporate family.
• Segula Technologies: French-headquartered global engineering services group with a large automotive practice providing vehicle, powertrain, and systems engineering to OEMs - similar service portfolio and multi-OEM customer base, though geographically broader.
• RLE International Group: Mid-sized German automotive engineering services provider focused on vehicle development, lightweight design, and e-mobility, with overlapping competencies in body, interior, and EV development serving premium OEMs.

Broad incumbents

• Capgemini Engineering (formerly Altran): Large global engineering services and digital transformation consultancy with a significant automotive practice - a broader incumbent offering overlapping vehicle engineering and software services across multiple industries.

Regional players

• Tata Technologies: India-headquartered automotive engineering services provider with a growing European practice offering vehicle, powertrain, and EV engineering - comparable service model but different geographic focus and cost base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/psw.engineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/8794640/admin

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PSW automotive engineering