Dentsu Soken Develops "D-TRAX" Framework to Transform Planning and Development for the SDV Era
Key facts
- Dentsu Soken Develops "D-TRAX" Framework to Transform Planning and Development for the SDV Era
- Dentsu Soken, Inc. has developed "D-TRAX," a framework designed to support the transformation of automotive planning and development in the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) era. This framework facilitates short cycles of planning, implementation, and verification, enabling continuous accumulation of knowledge and know-how to adapt to the rapidly changing automotive industry.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: June 9, 2026
Direct answer
Dentsu Soken, Inc. has developed "D-TRAX," a framework designed to support the transformation of automotive planning and development in the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) era. This framework facilitates short cycles of planning, implementation, and verification, enabling continuous accumulation of knowledge and know-how to adapt to the rapidly changing automotive industry.
- Citation
- Dentsu Soken Develops "D-TRAX" Framework to Transform Planning and Development for the SDV Era (June 9, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- June 9, 2026
Dentsu Soken, Inc. has developed "D-TRAX," a framework designed to support the transformation of automotive planning and development in the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) era. This framework facilitates short cycles of planning, implementation, and verification, enabling continuous accumulation of knowledge and know-how to adapt to the rapidly changing automotive industry.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: June 9, 2026 at 11:00
- 🔍 Collected: June 9, 2026 at 11:26 (26 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 12, 2026 at 16:52 (77h 25m after Collected)
Dentsu Soken, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hirohisa Iwamoto; hereinafter "Dentsu Soken"), which drives the evolution of companies and society through technology, has developed "D-TRAX (Dentsu Soken Dual-Track Architecture eXploration & eXperience Transformation)," a framework to support the transformation of automotive planning and development in the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) era. This framework enables short cycles of planning, implementation, and verification, facilitating the continuous accumulation of knowledge and know-how. Dentsu Soken will begin offering consulting services for planning and development support utilizing "D-TRAX" from June 9, 2026 (Tuesday).
*D-TRAX: Abbreviation for DENTSU SOKEN Dual-Track Architecture eXploration & eXperience Transformation.
A framework for transforming planning and development in the SDV era, running short-term planning and development in parallel with medium- to long-term exploration.
"D-TRAX" is a framework that separates and runs short-term planning and development loops alongside medium- to long-term exploration loops, allowing automotive planning and design development to proceed while verifying value hypotheses. It presents a new approach to planning and development that supports SDV development, which requires continuous value updates after delivery, while building upon the traditional hardware-centric, perfection-focused development culture.
■ Background
In recent years, the automotive industry has seen an acceleration of SDV adoption, shifting the primary battleground for value from traditional hardware to software and customer experience, necessitating continuous updates after delivery. Furthermore, advancements in technologies such as generative AI have accelerated the cycles of planning, design, and verification, requiring continuous updates to planning and development while capturing changes in the market and customer value.
However, many companies are entrenched in a development culture that prioritizes safety and quality, fixing specifications and plans early on. They also often have organizational structures where planning, development, and investment decisions are siloed, and a strong emphasis on short-term business performance. As a result, processes for continuously and rapidly evolving customer value and experience are not functioning adequately.
Consequently, even with the introduction of agile methodologies and tool utilization, these efforts often struggle to function effectively within the traditional manufacturing framework, leading to a loss of opportunities for original ideas to emerge.
"D-TRAX" has been systematized with the aim of implementing a "structure for continuous experimentation" that allows for small, repeated verifications of value hypotheses, and a "common language for value and verification" that can be shared across the entire organization, addressing these challenges.
■ Two Time Axes in "D-TRAX"
"D-TRAX" intentionally separates the planning and development process into the following two time axes:
- Short-Term Loop: Approximately 1 to 3 months
Aims to accumulate learning assets (hypotheses and verification history) that clarify the next decision, rather than focusing on the "success or failure" of outcomes. It supports the creation of an environment that enhances psychological safety and makes it easier for the organization to handle early failures and learning.
- Medium- to Long-Term Loop: Six months to several years
Activities that continuously explore changes in people, society, technology, and services, and capture "signs" of future value. It establishes a mechanism to continuously maintain exploratory activities that tend to be postponed in daily operations.
■ Features of "D-TRAX"
- Treats value definition as a hypothesis
Transitions to planning and design that assumes updates, accumulating verification results as input for future decision-making.
- Operates short-term planning/development and medium- to long-term exploration separately
Activities seeking short-term results and exploration activities nurturing seeds for future value are run in parallel without being mixed under the same evaluation criteria.
- Standardizes and accumulates hypothesis and verification history
Records what was hypothesized, what was verified, and what was learned as organizational knowledge, rather than focusing solely on success/failure.
■ Example Themes for "D-TRAX" Utilization Support
- Planning for SDV services, exploring new value in IVI and UX domains
- Support for executing planning and development loops, building operational schemes
- Support for prototyping to verify value hypotheses
- Creating mechanisms for accumulating and utilizing planning and development knowledge
■ Future Development
Through unique approaches like "D-TRAX," Dentsu Soken aims to support companies in achieving manufacturing processes that allow for continuous value updates even after product and service delivery. Moving forward, Dentsu Soken will continue to foster the evolution of planning and development structures required in the SDV era through dialogue and verification with client companies.
January 22, 2026
Dentsu Soken Launches "Human Understanding Ecosystem" Project to Promote Deep Insights into Human Sensibility and Well-being
■ About Dentsu Soken https://www.dentsusoken.com
Under its corporate vision, "HUMANOLOGY for the future ~Creating the future with people and technology.~," Dentsu Soken aims to support and implement the evolution towards a better society by creating a cycle from proposing solutions to resolving issues through technology, by closely engaging with "society" as a whole, including companies, government agencies, local authorities, and individuals, through the integration of its three functions: "System Integration," "Consulting," and "Think Tank."
By promoting "X Innovation" that transcends the boundaries of technology, industries, companies, and regions, Dentsu Soken will continue to pioneer the future and create new value with the power of people and technology.
* Company names and product names mentioned in this release are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
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FAQ
What challenges does "D-TRAX" address?
It resolves issues in traditional automotive development such as fixed specifications, siloed organizations, and focus on short-term business, enabling rapid and continuous value updates required in the SDV era.
What is the difference between the "Short-Term Loop" and "Medium- to Long-Term Loop" in "D-TRAX"?
The short-term loop (1-3 months) focuses on accumulating learning assets rather than success/failure, while the medium- to long-term loop (6 months to years) involves exploring signs of future value.
Which companies can benefit from "D-TRAX"?
It is particularly effective for automotive manufacturers and suppliers advancing SDV adoption, aiming to transform development processes and deliver value agilely.
What kind of services does Dentsu Soken offer?
Dentsu Soken integrates System Integration, Consulting, and Think Tank functions to provide comprehensive support, from identifying corporate challenges to implementing technological solutions.
When will "D-TRAX" be available?
Consulting services for planning and development support utilizing "D-TRAX" will commence on June 9, 2026 (Tuesday).