The Eclipse SDV Hackathon returns from 6–8 October for its fourth edition. This year, the entire community will come together in one location: Friedrichshafen.

Friedrichshafen? Where the ‘hack’ is that?

Friedrichshafen may be hard to pronounce, but it’s easy to love. The city is located in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and it’s a leading hub for automotive innovation on the idyllic shores of Lake Constance. Best known as the birthplace of the Zeppelin airship and as a major centre of automotive and mobility innovation, it’s the ideal place for creating the next generation of software-defined mobility: from A as in “automotive” to Z as in “zeppelin.”

Friedrichshafen is also the home of ZF, one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, who will be this year’s facility and hospitality provider. Hats off to ZF for choosing the See Campus (“Lake Campus”) of Zeppelin University as our Hackathon venue. Nestled right on the scenic shores of Lake Constance, it’s hard to imagine a better backdrop for building the future of software-defined vehicles.

Who is the Eclipse SDV Hackathon for?

Like every year, the event will bring together developers, students, innovators, coaches, and industry partners for two and a half days of hands-on collaboration, practical prototyping, and real-world software-defined vehicle challenges.

The SDV Hackathon is designed for automotive software enthusiasts who want to explore Eclipse SDV projects, experiment with emerging technologies, develop innovative solutions, and connect with like-minded contributors from across the open source automotive ecosystem. Above all, it is an opportunity to learn, collaborate, and have fun while building the future of mobility.

Throughout the event, teams will be supported by experienced Hack Coaches from leading automotive and technology organisations. These mentors will help participants transform ideas into working prototypes built on open source automotive software.

Check out our recap video from last year’s Eclipse SDV Hackathon:

New for 2026: two tracks, one community

This year’s Eclipse SDV Hackathon introduces a new format inspired by feedback from previous events and the great success of the SDV HackFest. For the first time, participants will be able to choose between two parallel, co-located tracks: the Hackathon Track and the HackFest Track. The two tracks work in perfect symbiosis.

Following the challenges presentation on the first day, participants will select the track that best matches their interests and skills. While each track will have its own goals and competition format, collaboration between teams and tracks is strongly encouraged throughout the event.

• The Hackathon Track is designed for teams tackling specific innovation challenges. Participants will be able to choose from two challenge topics, including one presented by our host, ZF. Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate on cutting-edge topics, including next-generation vehicle diagnostics through Eclipse OpenSOVD and emerging AI-powered vehicle use cases. Further details on the challenges will be announced soon.
• The HackFest Track is aimed at contributors who want to work directly on open source automotive software projects. Success in this track is measured by tangible contributions, such as accepted pull requests to Eclipse SDV projects or completed issues within the Eclipse SDV Blueprints initiative. By offering both tracks, the Eclipse SDV community aims to lower the barrier to entry and create more opportunities for participants to contribute, innovate, and collaborate, whether by building new solutions from scratch or advancing the open source technologies that power the software-defined vehicle ecosystem.

Who can join?

Everyone.

Whether you’re a student taking your first steps into automotive software, an open source enthusiast eager to learn, or an experienced developer looking to shape the future of Software Defined Vehicles, there’s a place for you at the Eclipse SDV Hackathon.

Join on your own or bring a team. All you need is curiosity, a passion for building things, and an interest in open source collaboration.

Why join?

Participating in the Eclipse SDV Hackathon is an opportunity to learn, build, and connect with some of the brightest minds in the automotive software ecosystem.

You’ll get:

• Hands-on experience with cutting-edge Eclipse SDV technologies and open source tools
• Direct collaboration with experts from leading automotive and technology companies
• Exposure to real-world SDV challenges, development workflows, and industry best practices
• The chance to showcase your ideas and innovations in front of the Eclipse SDV community

And yes, there are prizes. The top teams will take home exciting tech gadgets, with additional special awards up for grabs.

We’ll also have plenty of exclusive Eclipse SDV swag for participants.

Most importantly, you’ll be part of a community that’s defining the future of mobility. The ideas, prototypes, and collaborations that emerge from this event have the potential to influence the next generation of software-defined vehicles, and that’s an experience you can’t put a price on.

There’s room for just 60 hackers aboard, and we expect tickets to fly. Register now and climb aboard for an unforgettable journey of code, collaboration, and innovation in Friedrichshafen, the city where Zeppelins first took flight.

May the fourth Eclipse SDV Hackathon be with you!

Friedrichshafen and Zeppelin University. Image credits: Masood Aslami on Pexels (first image), Christian Heissenberger (second image), Zeppelin University (third image)

Featured image by  __Jasmin__ on Pixabay, edited in Canva