New Rocket Software Study Finds Automotive IT Leaders Face a Modernization Execution Gap

WALTHAM, Mass. – October 6, 2026 – Rocket Software, a global technology leader in modernization software, today released new research revealing that automotive IT leaders are making modernization a priority, but many are still struggling to move plans into production. While integrating mission-critical systems with modern platforms ranks as the top modernization priority, only 43% of respondents prioritizing integration say the work is actively deployed or fully implemented.  

The study, conducted by third-party research firm UserEvidence on behalf of Rocket Software, surveyed automotive IT leaders across original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, distributors, and aftermarket organizations. The findings show an industry actively modernizing the systems at the heart of production, supply chains, and inventory, while navigating complex application environments, inconsistent data, operational risk, and fragmented execution.

The research also highlights several challenges automotive IT leaders face as modernization efforts expand across critical systems:

• Operational confidence is being tested: While 70% are at least moderately confident they can modernize without affecting production continuity, more than a third have experienced unplanned downtime or instability, rollbacks, higher short-term costs, or extended parallel runs.
• Modernization lacks central coordination: Only 35% of respondents have a centralized, coordinated modernization program, despite efforts spanning production, supply chain, inventory, data, applications, and infrastructure.
• Hybrid is the preferred future state: Half of respondents favor an architecture that combines core systems with cloud-native extensions, reflecting a pragmatic approach to adding new capabilities while preserving critical systems.

“Automotive IT leaders are moving quickly to modernize, but this research shows that execution across critical systems remains a challenge,” said Neil Fowler, SVP of Hybrid Cloud Engineering at Rocket Software. “Speed alone can’t be the measure of success when production and supply chains are on the line. The opportunity is to build on trusted systems, while improving visibility, strengthening data integrity, and adopting new capabilities in ways that keep the business running.”

Data Integrity Emerges as a Modernization Blind Spot

The findings point to data integrity as a common thread across many of the challenges automotive IT leaders face. Data inconsistencies rank as the leading operational risk posed by mission-critical systems and also contribute to modernization friction, concerns around AI-assisted modernization, and challenges achieving real-time visibility.

Better real-time visibility and decision-making ranks as the top desired outcome from modernization. But supply chain visibility ranks lowest among the areas where respondents expect significant or transformational improvement over the next three years, pointing to the difficulty of turning more connected systems and data into greater operational visibility.

AI Creates Momentum, but Trust Remains Critical

Automotive IT leaders are also bringing AI into the modernization process, with most respondents using or evaluating the technology for test generation, process discovery, code conversion, and documentation.

However, adoption is raising important questions about how organizations preserve embedded business logic, explain AI-generated outputs, validate results, and meet security and compliance requirements. The findings suggest that scaling AI-assisted modernization will depend not only on where AI is applied, but on whether organizations can put governance and validation in place to trust its output across critical systems.

Forschungsmethodik

Rocket Software commissioned third-party research firm UserEvidence to survey 52 automotive IT leaders across OEMs, suppliers, distributors, and aftermarket organizations. Respondents represented a range of IT and operational functions, with 77% holding C-suite, board-level, or senior leadership roles.

To learn more about these findings, visit here

Über Rocket Software 

Rocket Software ist ein weltweit führender Technologieanbieter im Bereich IT-Modernisierung und bevorzugter Partner für die Modernisierung von IT- und Mainframe-Systemen weltweit – von Kernsystemen bis hin zur Cloud. Mehr als 13.500 Kunden und 850 Partner vertrauen auf Rocket Software, und mit über 3.000 Mitarbeitern weltweit unterstützt das Unternehmen seine Kunden dabei, ihre Daten, Anwendungen und Infrastruktur optimal zu nutzen und so die kritischen Dienste bereitzustellen, die unsere moderne Welt antreiben.

Rocket Software ist ein US-amerikanisches, privat geführtes Unternehmen mit Hauptsitz im Großraum Boston und strategisch günstig gelegenen Kompetenzzentren in Nordamerika, Europa, Asien und Australien. Rocket Software gehört zum Portfolio von Bain Capital Private Equity.

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About UserEvidence

UserEvidence is a customer voice platform that automates social proof for GTM teams, generating verified case studies, testimonials, and stats in minutes. Industry-leading B2B companies like Pendo, Workato, Gong, Jasper, and Ramp rely on UserEvidence to increase trust with buyers, shorten sales cycles, and close more deals. 

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Lacey Darrow 

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