Fiat Chooses PHP and Zend to build and web-enable their Fiatlink system

Fiat Group SpA is a diversified global company in business for over a century and is one of the top fifteen automobile manufacturers in the world, even larger than Daimler AG. Producing more than 85% of the automobiles that the Fiat Group manufactures and sells, the Fiat Group Automobiles SpA (FGA) subsidiary produces about 1.98 million automobiles/year. Over 42,000 Fiat users channel over $30 Billion (USD) in revenue (24 billion euros) through their PHP-based Fiatlink system which is now the primary access point for all of FGA's dealers and service centers to enter car orders and access information across the Fiat Auto enterprise. This is business-critical PHP


“At the beginning we also considered Java as a development solution & language” says Roberto Fileni, Fiatlink’s Technical Architect, “but the main project goals were quick implementation and the PHP learning curve is much easier than with Java. In addition, Fiat Group’s IT division has a solid open-source technologies background. That also helped drive the choice for PHP.”

Conclusion given by FIAT LINK System

PHP is an ideal solution for large, modern enterprises looking to rapidly deploy new and added functionality for their users. Adopting an open-source solution like PHP strategically knowing that in addition to the vibrant open-source community, Zend Technologies is also standing behind the platform provides peace-of-mind when utilizing open-source technology with lower TCO. Supporting tools like the Zend Studio IDE, the Zend application server and more, plus global services consulting and training from Zend's professional services experts all add up to make PHP more than ready for enterprise solutions.

Fiat link is widely considered one of the most important PHP projects implemented to date in Italy and is considered a model for integrating heterogeneous applications and systems quickly and at a lower cost than competing solutions.