# Hacking Mercedes: From DIY Car Internet to CEO of R&D | MotoMan Podcast #018

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/motomantv-podcast-7468588/hacking-mercedes-from-diy-car-internet-to-ceo-of-r-d-motoman-podcast-018
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/motomantv-podcast-7468588/hacking-mercedes-from-diy-car-internet-to-ceo-of-r-d-motoman-podcast-018.md
Podcast: [MotoManTV Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/motomantv-podcast-7468588)
Published: 2026-05-13T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/motomantv-podcast/episodes/Hacking-Mercedes-From-DIY-Car-Internet-to-CEO-of-RD--MotoMan-Podcast-018-e3j9j3m
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/108caa860/podcast/play/119900726/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-4-12%2F424033953-44100-2-9d55fd4d84d0e.mp3
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Duration seconds: 5052

## Resource

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Philipp Skogstad , CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, to discuss the radical shift in how the world’s oldest car company builds for the future. While Philipp’s background includes a rebellious streak—hacking a serial port into his father’s car in the 90s to get internet on the road —his primary focus today is bridging the gap between German craftsmanship and the Silicon Valley mandate to "spend money, not time" . We dive deep into the internal processes and technological philosophies driving Mercedes-Benz today: The Software Revolution: How Mercedes built a 100-person backend team in Seattle from the ground up to handle the shift toward software-defined vehicles. Democratization of Technology: Why the decision was made to debut advanced tech lower end cars first, targeting a younger, tech-savvy audience rather than the traditional top down rollout. The "Knobs vs. Screens" Debate: Philipp addresses the tension between haptic feedback and physical controls, defending a "safety-first" DNA while pushing for holistic digital design. This conversation is a technical masterclass on how Mercedes-Benz is balancing its legacy of safety and craftsmanship with the aggressive execution required to compete in the modern era. Chapters 00:00:00 Intro with Philipp 00:00:22 The Vault Episode: Mercedes R&D 00:01:57 Munich Roots and the S-Class 00:03:46 Hacking the 90s Car Internet 00:08:56 From Germany to Saint Louis 00:11:30 Engineering and Business Strategy 00:15:13 Career Advice: Core Business Focus 00:16:12 The Stanford vs. MIT Dilemma 00:19:03 The Art of Showing Up Serious 00:21:24 Protecting Creative Confidence 00:24:26 Lane Keeping and Design Thinking 00:28:25 Silicon Valley: Spend…

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