When Swedish tech specialist Carmenta was founded back in 1985 by four software engineers, one of its first assignments was to build tools for the computer system onboard the Swedish Air Force fighter aircraft Viggen.

This prestige project became a catalyst for growth and positioned Carmenta as a trusted provider of sophisticated geospatial technologies, later serving not only Sweden’s defence industry but also civil aviation, public safety and maritime sectors.

“In 2015 we decided to branch out to keep pace with the revolution we knew was around the corner – self-driving trucks and cars,” explains Johan Holmqvist, Vice President of Business Development at CarmentaAutomotive, a newly established separate company.  

UNCOVERING EVENTS BEYOND THE LINE OF SIGHT

One of the major hurdles in the roll-out of connected and autonomous vehicles is situational awareness, which is now a rapidly growing international market for CarmentaAutomotive.

Today’s modern trucks and cars have countless sensors that can identify objects and events in the three-dimensional world within a 400-meter range. But as Holmqvist points out, that’s not nearly enough to safely deploy autonomous vehicles on roads.

“You need to know what’s happening many minutes away, beyond the line of sight, so the vehicle can react and reduce speed or change routes in a timely and safe manner that also ensures passenger comfort.”

“This is where our two products TrafficWatchTM and ControlTowerTM come in to combine vehicle fleet sensor data with road and driving condition data in real-time,” he adds.

NEXT STOP EUROPEAN EXPANSION

CarmentaAutomotive began its new venture by teaming up with Sweden’s major automotive OEMs to run some 25 research and testing projects. The next step was to prepare for market launch in Italy, Germany and France.

The decision to join forces with Business Sweden and get local assistance was a no-brainer says Johan Holmqvist.   

“We had previously worked with Business Sweden in other industry projects. We knew we had a great product but needed help to get a foot in the door. Business Sweden’s teams introduced our mobility platforms to international customers, built up interest and booked those crucial first meetings,” he says.

A group of industry experts was put together for each market to tailor the support to CarmentaAutomotive’s needs. This, says Holmqvist, enabled the company to build an understanding of how local OEMs and automotive suppliers operate and interact.

“We gained both knowledge of local industry ecosystems and important contacts. By engaging customers on our behalf, Business Sweden saved us an enormous amount of time and resources as we didn’t need a physical presence to position our products and build up sales.”

BUILDING BRAND AWARENESS AND TRUST IN THE US  

CarmentaAutomotive’s growth journey would not be complete without a strategic plan for tapping into vast opportunities in the US, a market that today is focusing heavily on autonomous transport for commercial cargo.

“Like Europe, the US is seeing an explosion of connected vehicles that are software-driven and the goal is to reach Level 4 autonomy. But you really need a local presence to capture opportunities there,” Holmqvist continues.

Besides providing market analysis on a running basis, Business Sweden’s team in the US helped CarmentaAutomotive understand local labour laws and regulations and, crucially, book client meetings and build awareness at trade shows.

“By joining the Swedish pavilion at the Detroit Auto Show we gained excellent exposure and attracted a lot of attention by being part of a bigger showcase of Swedish pioneers in mobility tech.”

The collaboration covered a whole spectrum of needs, including planning for setting up a US entity and decision-support around rebranding to local adaptation of CarmentaAutomotive’s offering. Meanwhile, the company has continued its European expansion plans with Spain and the UK next on the list.  

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Business Sweden has opened many doors for us. We received invaluable support at every step of our collaboration, which has resulted in many booked sales meetings and increased international awareness of our brand and offering. Johan Holmqvist, Vice President of Business Development at CarmentaAutomotive
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“We simply couldn’t have managed on our own. Without Business Sweden, we wouldn’t have entered all these markets at such a fast pace,” Johan Holmqvist concludes.

 

Challenge

CarmentaAutomotive needed help to position its two software products for connected and autonomous mobility, engage local stakeholders and build trusted relationships with potential customers in Europe and the US.

Solution

Business Sweden provided market analysis and advised CarmentaAutomotive on its entry strategies for Italy, Germany and France, followed by the US. Local teams of industry experts reached out to potential customers and assisted with local administrative tasks and participation at trade shows to increase visibility.

Result

CarmentaAutomotive gained a foothold with major OEMs and increased brand recognition simultaneously in several markets. Business Sweden successfully positioned CarmentaAutomotive’s offer and paved the way for multiple leads and sales meetings.

Value impact

Business Sweden helped to build local awareness and trust in CarmentaAutomotive’s technology offer overseas in the field of autonomous mobility tech. The collaboration helped CarmentaAutomotive save time and money, avoid risk and gain a fast-track to international expansion.

ABOUT CARMENTAAUTOMOTIVE

Carmenta Automotive AB is a specialised software product company focused on bringing situational awareness, beyond sensor range, to autonomous and connected vehicles for traffic anomalies that could compromise efficient and safe driving. CarmentaAutomotive are headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden.