Bosch mySPIN platform

Context

mySPIN was Bosch SoftTec's smartphone-to-vehicle integration solution, a platform that enabled smartphone apps to be used safely and in line with driver-distraction requirements directly from the vehicle cockpit, long before Apple CarPlay and Android Auto became market standards. As Product Manager in the Smartphone and Cloud Solutions department, I was responsible for three complementary workstreams over four years.

Workstream 1, app partner ecosystem

I managed a portfolio of around 20 app partners, including global brands such as Spotify, TomTom and Yandex, with the objective of making their applications compatible with mySPIN. This included concluding development and licensing agreements, negotiating commercial terms and coordinating technical validation processes. I managed an annual budget of approximately €250,000 for partner integrations and brought around a dozen apps to market readiness. My legal background was directly valuable here: contract structuring, intellectual property clauses and liability provisions were my responsibility.

Workstream 2, OEM vehicle integration

I supported the technical and commercial integration of the mySPIN SDK into vehicles from BMW, Suzuki, Ducati and Jaguar Land Rover, acting in a dual role as Technical Project Manager and Product Manager. As Technical Project Manager I worked directly with code and technical specifications to support OEM teams during SDK implementation. As Product Manager I owned the roadmap, requirements management and stakeholder communication between Bosch and the OEM partners.

Workstream 3, in-house connected apps

I led the development of two proprietary mySPIN applications for two-wheeler vehicles in partnership with external providers: a music streaming app, developed with Audiogum and integrated with up to five streaming services, and a weather app, built on the OpenWeather API for iOS and Android. Both apps went through a full product lifecycle from concept and proof of concept to MMP, version 1.0 and market launch on the App Store and Google Play.

Outcome

A global app ecosystem was successfully established, with around 20 partners and approximately 12 market-ready integrations. The platform was technically and commercially integrated with four leading vehicle manufacturers. Two proprietary connected products were launched for the two-wheeler market. Bosch SoftTec eventually discontinued mySPIN after Apple CarPlay and Android Auto consolidated the market, a typical trajectory for pioneering products that prepare a market before the major platforms take over.