Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Google Cloud announced that Volvo Cars has become the lead industry partner for Horizon, an open-source software development platform designed to help automakers and automotive suppliers build, test, and deploy software for Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS).

Volvo Cars is migrating its global AAOS software development environment to the Horizon platform, which combines cloud-native development tools, virtual testing environments, and AI-assisted workflows. The move is intended to give Volvo Cars engineers access to faster development workflows and AI-assisted tools.

According to the companies, the Horizon platform offers software testing up to nine times faster using virtual Cuttlefish-based Android Automotive environments, a reduction in infotainment feature development costs of up to 40%, and build times reduced from up to two hours to minutes through intelligent caching and optimized pipelines.

The platform also provides remote access to virtual and physical device farms, allowing developers worldwide to build and validate software while reducing physical infrastructure requirements. Virtual workbenches allow new developers to set up environments in seconds rather than waiting weeks for physical hardware.

"We're building some of the most complex products in the world, which requires a development environment built to match," said Gregor Zetsche, Head of Connected Experience at Volvo Cars.

Accenture and Google Cloud stated that insights from the Volvo Cars collaboration will help refine the platform and expand its generative AI capabilities. The companies said they are already working with other automotive and industrial organizations to extend Horizon's reach into additional companies and markets.