Open-Source Collaboration for Industrial Software Innovation Catch-Up: A Digital–Real Integration Approach

In the era of digital–real integration, open-source collaboration has become a strategic pathway for accelerating the innovation catch-up of China’s industrial software. This study employs an exploratory multi-case design, focusing on the China Automotive Operating System open-source project and the FastCAE open-source domestic CAE software integrated development platform to examine how open-source strategies shape collaborative mechanisms and innovation outcomes. The analysis reveals that firms adopt both formal (behavioral and outcome coordination) and informal (relationship and empowerment coordination) strategies, fostering high-level complementary collaboration in data, technology, institution, and human resources. These mechanisms significantly enhance R&D efficiency and quality, drive technological innovation, and create new market innovation, thereby improving collaborative performance. The study contributes to theory by linking open-source-driven digital–real integration with industrial software innovation catch-up and offers practical governance recommendations for strengthening China’s industrial software autonomy and ecosystem sustainability.