Renault aims to release Twizy platform as open source EV
Renault is to release the hardware for its Twizy model as an open-source EV platform. The carmaker, along with partners OSVehicle, ARM, Pilot and Sensoria, is looking to explore niche markets and for the Twizy hardware to allow for the production of creative, customisable EV features. Renault's partnership with OSVehicle brings together developers, designers and engineers, making it easier to collaborate on the hardware designs of electric vehicles.

Sure Tesla opens some of its patents, but how about a whole platform?

Renault has just announced it will release Twizy hardware as a base for an open source EV platform. (To be fair the Twizy isn't the Model S, we aren't really suggesting that, but it is a significant development nonetheless).

The French manufacturer together with four partners that you have probably never heard of (OSVehicle, ARM, Pilot and Sensoria) presented the open-innovation and open-source projects at CES to explore niche markets and to allows partner to build their own electric vehicle, creative apps.

In theory, the Twizy hardware would allow for adding new, customizable features and aftermarket opportunities.

It could be interesting to see what parts or new applications will be created, giving a major boost to Twizy.

However for the US and most other places 'not Europe', it would be an opportunity to at least be able to own one, or a reasonable likeness to it.

THE WORLD’S FIRST OPEN-SOURCE MASS MARKET VEHICLE Based on Twizy, Renault has developed POM, a compact and lightweight electric vehicle with bodywork parts removed and an open-source automotive platform. Available to start-ups, independent laboratories, private customers and researchers, it allows third parties to copy and modify existing software to create a totally customizable electric vehicle.In partnering with OSVehicle to develop an open-source platform readily accessible to the community, OSVehicle also provides on-demand design and engineering services for complete personalization. Bringing together a rich ecosystem of entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and engineers, OSVehicle makes it easier to build, share, distribute and modify the hardware designs of electric vehicles. “We are very excited to welcome a great Auto OEM like Renault in our open ecosystem”, said Tin Hang & Yuki Liu, founders of OSVehicle. “We are sure that our community will benefit and provide value to the automotive industry, contributing with new mobility solutions and solving specific needs with a wider range of connected car and self driving technologies. Sharing common hardware platforms to everyone is a new co-creative and horizontal approach that can disrupt this industry lowering significantly costs and time-to-market.” Providing processor design technology powering more than 80 percent of mobile computing devices, Renault’s collaboration with ARM will open up the Twizy software and hardware architecture to allow new features, including interoperability with ARM®-based connected devices. The ARM ecosystem is scaling the ARM architecture to address a diverse range of automotive technology use cases in support of ADAS, IVI, autonomous driving, advanced cockpits and connected car. “Connected vehicles will enable new business models that deliver a broad range of choices and experiences for end users,” said Richard York, vice president of embedded marketing, ARM. “The automotive industry will increasingly focus on the specific functionality that owners want, such as comfort level and entertainment. By providing this platform, Renault is paving the way for innovation in these areas.”

More about OSVehicle here (and videos).