Accenture and the Centre of Excellence in Advanced Automotive Research (CAAR) at IIT Madras have announced the launch of the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Academy under Accenture’s LearnVantage platform.
The SDV Academy is designed for professionals working in automotive OEMs and Global Capability Centers (GCCs), providing specialised training to bridge the widening skills gap in the fast-evolving automotive software space. With the global market for software-defined digital services projected to reach $ 3.5 trillion and contribute 40% of automotive industry revenues by 2040, the need for digitally skilled talent has become critical.
The academy’s curriculum blends self-paced learning with instructor-led modules from IIT Madras, covering key domains such as Internet of Things (IoT), embedded systems, cybersecurity, edge computing, and essential industry standards like AUTOSAR and ASPICE. Participants will also gain hands-on experience through interactive learning environments and real-world sandbox simulations that prepare them to work on vehicle safety systems, E/E architecture, connectivity, and infotainment.
Kishore Durg, Global Lead at Accenture LearnVantage, said, “As vehicles evolve into intelligent, software-defined machines, the industry urgently requires engineers fluent in AI, machine learning, and automotive-grade cybersecurity. Our collaboration with IIT Madras’s CAAR is designed to meet this need by transforming talent at scale.”
Professor Krishnan Balasubramanian, who heads CAAR at IIT Madras, described the partnership as a model academic-industry initiative aimed at training next-gen professionals in SDV technologies. Thiruppathy Srinivasan, CEO of CAAR, “The automotive industry is rapidly evolving with the adoption of electrification, connectivity, and advanced smart technologies. The high-growth software-defined vehicle space demands both new digital skills and a larger pool of skilled professionals, making upskilling a top priority. Our collaboration with Accenture LearnVantage offers a synergistic platform to bridge the talent gap by equipping professionals with the competencies needed to thrive and meet the industry’s evolving needs.”
This initiative also builds on Accenture’s broader collaboration with IIT Madras, which includes joint research on autonomous robotic systems, industrial IoT, and digital twins. TalentSprint, a deep-tech education provider now integrated into LearnVantage, currently runs an advanced certification programme in Applied Data Science and Machine Learning in partnership with IIT Madras.
Through this collaboration, Accenture and IIT Madras aim to catalyse workforce transformation across India’s automotive sector, enabling professionals to build, deploy and scale next-generation vehicle software systems.
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