The ask
Liberty Advisor Group was engaged to help develop and execute the strategy for an acquired autonomous vehicle software & engineering company. The new division was responsible for developing software, selecting hardware/sensor sets, building vehicles, and testing L4/L5 capabilities, along with various other customer and internal commitments. As a part of this ask, Liberty was tasked with helping the division grow so their development efforts could expand, increasing speed to market. As a part of this strategy, a significant reveal at CES was planned with high stakes placed on its success.
The business problem
Our client acquired the autonomous company two years prior without proper integration. During that time, the autonomous division saw suboptimal growth and was not receiving the necessary support. This lack of attention caused the acquired company, once an early leader in this space, to be outpaced by competitors in the market including Automotive and ride-hailing companies. Without immediate intervention, the acquired company would most likely fall too far behind the competition to be considered a major player in the autonomous space.
The outcome
Liberty helped manage all aspects of accelerating the autonomous division. We immediately started working with division leadership to determine a go-forward strategy for expanded capabilities. Once the strategy was set, Liberty worked together with the organization to execute it across multiple functions. Highlights of these cross-functional efforts included:
- Worked with software development to create a product roadmap for software and vehicle versions and releases
- Managed CES preparation including establishing and managing a partnership with Lyft
- Established small batch replication for the vehicle retro-fitting to increase throughput and standardize production
- Created a supply chain process to track high-value components and establish “build packages” to streamline production
- Managed customer visits/engagements including the Chairman of Hyundai
- Set up new operation centers in Las Vegas & Pittsburgh for engineering, customer relations, vehicle build, and vehicle testing
- Managed recruitment process, outsourcing for ~200 engineering and SG&A roles
These outcomes resulted in a 10% increase in stock price and a 1200% increase in vehicle uplifting production.
About Liberty Advisor Group
Liberty Advisor Group is a goal-oriented, client-focused, and results-driven consulting firm. We are a lean, handpicked team of strategists, technologists, and entrepreneurs – battle-tested experts with a steadfast, start-up attitude. We collaborate, integrate, and ideate in real-time with our clients to deliver situation-specific solutions that work. Liberty Advisor Group has the experience to realize our clients’ highest ambitions. Learn more at libertyadvisorgroup.com and on LinkedIn and Twitter.
