Car makers do actually purchase (complete, in many cases) subsystems from suppliers. Features like dashboards, multimedia systems, LCD screens, the vehicle spee

Car makers do actually purchase (complete, in many cases) subsystems from suppliers. Features like dashboards, multimedia systems, LCD screens, the vehicle speed projection on screen, line hold, braking assistance, injection systems including the control unit and many others from 3rd party suppliers like Bosch, Continental, Delphi, Autoliv etc. Many patents behind innovations and inventions in modern cars are not held by automakers themselves, but by their suppliers (including software). Of course, automakers do have a SW department of their own and their involvement varies from project to project.