Software-Defined Vehicles: Transforming Mobility, One Update at a Time

We are witnessing a shift from a decentralized approach with less powerful Electronic Control Units (ECUs) to a centralized architecture with powerful ECUs and High-Performance Computing Platforms (HPCs). This new era, of “Software-Defined Vehicles” (SDV), places the core vehicle identity in its software. This change is reshaping how we perceive, build, and experience automobiles, emphasizing software-centric designs that enhance functionality, connectivity, and user experience.

At Critical Software, we are actively engaged in this paradigm shift. We believe that SDV is not just a trend but rather the very cornerstone of future mobility. SDV is a game-changer in delivering customer expectations in a more agile, faster and personalised way.

What is the Software-Defined Vehicle?

In the age of digital transformation, the automotive industry is undergoing significant changes. SDV is not just a definition or a concept; it marks a new milestone, transforming the automotive landscape.

This new paradigm uses software to deliver complex functions with flexibility and agility, such as infotainment, personalization, and autonomous driving. It enables on-demand application deployment and positions the vehicle as a platform.

SDV is built on top of a flexible architecture that combines a rapid deployment with high levels of customization. It allows for improvements in user experience based on real-world feedback, enhances safety and security through data collection, and enables testing of these improvements on cloud-based digital twins before deployment to vehicles. Development and testing will largely move to the cloud, reducing the development, validation and homologation costs.

Being software-defined means that new features and improvements are constantly deployed to enhance user satisfaction and vehicle reliability. The car will function like a smartphone: new features, bugs fixes, and upgrades will be deployed regularly over the air. This is the power and transformative potential of SDV- the ability to upgrade and improve vehicles throughout their lifespan.

Technology Complexity and Integration

Current vehicles have their functionality siloed in different ECUs. For example, an ECU controlling the brakes must be aware of the brake pedal status and the status of all wheels. 

Wouldn’t it make sense to have a wheel controller that manages all wheel functions? Wouldn’t it also make sense if this could be deployed as software on an ECU that could control the windshield wipers, powertrain functions, and several other features – all seamlessly communicating with one another?

The challenge lies not only in ensuring that all these systems communicate and collaborate flawlessly, but also in updating them individually without affecting other parts of the vehicle. The absence of standardized software platforms to manage this intricate web of functionalities makes it difficult to develop new features, diagnose issues, and deploy updates efficiently. This leads to slow development cycles, increased costs, and delays in bringing new features to market. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) face significant challenges integrating new software-driven architectures with legacy systems, which demands a fresh approach to vehicle design and development.

What is Needed to Embrace SDV?

The transition to SDV is not just a simple technology upgrade; it represents a fundamental shift in the mindset of the automotive industry. It requires a transformation of the entire automotive ecosystem.

Partnership & Ecosystem Collaboration

The SDV revolution is too vast and intricate, requiring a paradigm shift towards collaboration and the creation of partnerships. Bringing together expertise from various sectors - including software development, hardware manufacturing, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud services, cybersecurity, and safety - is essential. Collaborative ecosystems will drive innovation and help the automakers overcome the inherent limitations of isolated development processes by sharing resources, knowledge, and best practices.

Currently, OEMs are forming diverse partnerships with tech companies, suppliers, and startups, significantly enhancing innovation and accelerating the development of state-of-the-art solutions. For example, when automakers team up with AI technology enablers, they can better create autonomous driving systems. Similarly, working with cloud service providers improves vehicle connectivity, data management, and the development of cloud-native solutions that can run anywhere. These partnerships are essential because no single company can be an expert on the diverse set of technologies required for SDV development.

Standardization for Interoperability and Efficiency

The benefits of SDV become fully realized when different components and systems can communicate seamlessly and work in harmony. The automotive industry must prioritize the adoption of standards and open platforms. This will reduce development costs, facilitate interoperability between various systems, and drive innovation. A unified and open platform will enable a more dynamic and competitive environment, allowing companies to focus on creating the best possible software experiences for their customers – such as smart driver assistance, user-friendly infotainment systems, and predictive maintenance alerts.

Critical Software & SDV

Critical Software is actively participating in an automotive consortium alongside several OEMs and industry partners.

The HAL4SDV (Hardware Abstraction Layer for a European Software Defined Vehicle) project focuses on implementing a software layer that abstracts hardware from application software. It aims to provide a consistent development interface to the underlying hardware.

How:

• Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON): Europe's largest R&D funding programme
• Consortium with ~50 companies and government funding

Why:

• HAL4SDV envisions a future where vehicles are fully integrated into a new European ecosystem, including smart cities, intelligent highways, and cyberspace - blurring the lines between the inside and outside of the vehicle.

Through this strategic partnership, Critical Software contributes to the consortium's objectives of promoting sustainability, enhancing efficiency, and maintaining a competitive edge in the global market.

The Road Ahead for Software-Defined Vehicles

SDV is not merely an evolution of existing cars, but rather a revolution that is reshaping the automotive industry’s entire value chain. By adopting the principles of SDV, the automotive sector is set to enter a new phase, with new possibilities. Critical Software is excited to be part of this revolutionary transformation and looks forward to contributing to the future of autonomous and connected cars. SDVs will serve as the foundation for the future of mobility and connectivity – making transportation safer, more effective, and more enjoyable.