What IAV does

IAV is an automotive engineering services provider, not a parts manufacturer. It develops vehicle systems on contract for carmakers and their suppliers, then hands the results back for series production. The company organizes its work around powertrain systems, connected software, autonomous driving and intelligent transport systems, digital engineering, cybersecurity and product safety, infotainment and user experience, chassis and body electronics, and complete-vehicle development. It describes its current focus as software-defined vehicles and modern drive technologies, from combustion and hybrid calibration to electric traction and fuel-cell work.

Originally centered on the automotive industry, IAV has extended the same engineering into agriculture and off-highway machinery, defense, and energy. Recent public work spans an autonomous shuttle trial with Munich's transit operator MVG and the IAV Dragoon, an autonomous off-road vehicle it took to the Dakar Rally with Toyota. As an engineering partner rather than an OEM or a Tier 1, IAV sits alongside the buyers who commission development programs and the suppliers who build to them.

Financial performance

IAV reported revenue of about 896 million euros for 2023 and employs roughly 7,600 people, with staff drawn from more than 60 nations, according to the company's own figures. It runs 16 or more sites in Germany plus offices across France, Poland, Austria, China, Japan, India, Brazil, Morocco, and the United States. The company does not publish a standalone balance sheet, because it is consolidated into its majority owner's group accounts, so solvency metrics are not independently available here.

The wider engineering-services sector has been under pressure as automakers and large suppliers cut development spending. In 2026 IAV disclosed plans to reduce its workforce by more than 1,000 positions, and its majority owner was reported to be exploring a sale of its stake. Those are real headwinds, weighed against a four-decade operating history and a broad, blue-chip client base.

Ownership and history

Professor Hermann Appel founded IAV in Berlin in 1983 as a spin-off of the Technical University of Berlin, one of the first startups of its kind in Germany. The full legal name, Ingenieurgesellschaft Auto und Verkehr, translates roughly as engineering society for automobiles and transport. The head office remains at Carnotstrasse 1 in Berlin, with major German development centers in Gifhorn, Chemnitz, Munich, and the Ingolstadt area.

As of its most recent public shareholder disclosure, IAV was majority-owned by Volkswagen AG (50 percent), with Continental, Schaeffler, and Vitesco each holding minority stakes and IAV itself holding treasury shares. Volkswagen has since consolidated IAV within its software organization, and in 2026 was reported to be weighing a sale of its majority position. The US business is a separate legal entity, IAV Automotive Engineering Inc., with a registered office in Novi, Michigan. Group subsidiaries include Consulting4Drive, IAV Vehicle Safety, IAV France, IAV Poland, IAV Korea, and IAV do Brasil.

Certifications and quality

IAV publishes current certificates for two management systems on its own site: ISO 9001:2015 for quality management and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 for information security, both certified by SGS and covering the Berlin head office and its engineering operations. Information-security certification matters for an engineering-services firm because it handles pre-production vehicle data and source code on behalf of its OEM clients. The company states that it treats quality and data protection as core to its service delivery and lists further certifications and accreditations centrally.

Known customers

IAV publishes an unusually specific client and partner list for a services firm, spanning vehicle makers and component suppliers.

The company also names component-maker clients including Bosch, Continental, ZF, Schaeffler, Forvia, and Freudenberg. These are relationships IAV publishes about itself; program-level scope beyond what the company discloses is not detailed here.

Frequently asked questions

What does IAV Automotive Engineering do?

IAV is a German automotive engineering services provider. It develops powertrain, electronics, software, autonomous-driving, and complete-vehicle solutions on contract for carmakers and suppliers, then delivers them for series production. It also works in defense, energy, and off-highway machinery. It is an engineering partner, not a parts manufacturer.

Who owns IAV?

As of its most recent public shareholder disclosure, IAV GmbH was majority-owned by Volkswagen AG (50 percent), with Continental, Schaeffler, and Vitesco holding minority stakes. Volkswagen has consolidated IAV within its software organization and, in 2026, was reported to be exploring a sale of its majority stake.

What is IAV's revenue?

IAV reported revenue of about 896 million euros for 2023, per its own figures. Because it is consolidated into its parent group, it does not publish a fully audited standalone financial statement.

Where is IAV headquartered?

IAV is headquartered at Carnotstrasse 1 in Berlin, Germany, with 16 or more sites across Germany and offices worldwide. Its US subsidiary, IAV Automotive Engineering Inc., has a registered office in Novi, Michigan.

Who are IAV's customers?

IAV names clients including Volkswagen, BMW, Stellantis, Ford, GM, Porsche, and Toyota, along with component suppliers such as Bosch, Continental, ZF, Schaeffler, and Forvia. These are relationships the company publishes on its own client and partner list.

How many employees does IAV have?

IAV employs roughly 7,600 people, drawn from more than 60 nations, according to the company. Staff are spread across development centers in Germany and offices in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Last verified September 27, 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.