German automaker Porsche to open office in Silicon Valley

Porsche Digital GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of German automaker Porsche AG, is opening an office in Santa Clara, a city in Silicon Valley.

While the maker of sports cars and other high-performance vehicles did not provide the timing of the new office while announcing the decision Friday.

Thilo Koslowski, managing director of Porsche Digital, said in a statement that "the car is the ultimate mobile device of the future, and the future is being written in Silicon Valley."

"This means it is particularly important to be right next door to leading IT companies in the USA, as this allows us to identify trends early and invest in new technologies at the right time."

Headquartered in Ludwigsburg, southern Germany, Porsche Digital said on its website that it is engaging with "those who can help us build on this potential (of digital future), including new talents; startups, venture capitalists and corporates, and organizations. Some of the topics we focus on include connectivity, smart mobility and autonomous driving."

Its new site in Santa Clara, about 60 kilometers, or 40 miles, south of San Francisco, the company said, will employ about 100 people and will focus on digitalization, connectivity, and smart mobility.

Claiming it to be "the next step in its digitalization campaign," the company said it aims to work in partnership with innovators and leaders in new technologies, as well as work with venture capital companies; and wants to invest directly in new companies that offer ideas and solutions for the digital future.

By opening the office, Porsche is set to become the latest automaker to operate in Silicon Valley. While Tesla has headquarters in Palo Alto and electric car factory in Fremont, other automakers, including General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai, have facilities in Northern California. Endit