Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) are transforming the automotive industry, replacing hardware limitations with dynamic, software-driven features. Through cloud connectivity, real-time updates, and AI integration, SDVs redefine vehicles as intelligent, continuously evolving systems that shape the future of mobility. So, how can we prepare for this revolution?
The automotive industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation, moving rapidly towards the era of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs). In this new landscape, software has taken the wheel, defining vehicle capabilities and enabling continuous updates, customization, and enhanced connectivity. No longer confined by hardware limitations, SDVs offer a dynamic driving experience that evolves over time, adapting to new technologies and customer needs. From cloud-based integrations to advanced AI applications, SDVs are reshaping not just vehicles but the very concept of mobility itself.
Similarly to the industry leaders, Endego prepares itself for the latest advances in SDVs and design the services with a use of emerging technologies driving the future of vehicle connectivity and digital transformation across the automotive sector.
A Software-Defined Vehicle is a vehicle in which software drives its core functionality, allowing for continual upgrades, feature expansions, and remote performance optimizations. In an SDV, vehicle features and settings can be easily updated or refined through cloud-based software updates and Over-the-Air (OTA) connections. This setup means that vehicles are no longer static but instead continuously evolve, delivering fresh features and enhanced user experiences over their lifespan.
Chinese OEMs can launch a car in just 12 to 18 months while continuously improving the customer experience throughout the vehicle’s life. Consequently, the global goal is to launch new cars quickly, listen to customer feedback, enhance the overall experience and adapt to changes – that’s the essence of SDV.
Developing Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) demands immense resources, making pre-competitive cooperation essential to tackle the vast investments required for infrastructure and non-differentiating software. To build a unified foundation, collaborative initiatives like the SDV Alliance—which includes SOAFEE, AUTOSAR, Eclipse SDV, and COVESA—are working to standardize software and hardware architectures across the industry. These alliances aim to streamline automotive architecture, reduce redundancy, and accelerate innovation, with proposals even suggesting specialized cooperation for Automotive AI investment to support the powerful computation needs of SDVs.
Standardization is crucial for fostering cooperation and accelerating advancements in the automotive industry. As Dr. Lisa Wang stated: “The speed will win the competition.” Without effective standardization, developing non-differentiating software can become costly and delay new features for customers.
The future of the car extends beyond the vehicle itself, with Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) expanding connectivity to the cloud and digital infrastructures. Innovations in Ethernet backbones and over-the-air (OTA) solutions borrowed from server technology are key to the next generation of automobiles. This connectivity enables real-time software updates without requiring restarts of the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), ensuring a smoother user experience. The industry envisions a future where third-party developers can build applications directly for vehicles, continuously expanding their functionality and utility.
SDVs leverage hardware-software abstraction to decouple hardware components from software applications, enabling speed-light integrations. By incorporating abstraction layers into the vehicle architecture, SDVs can maintain seamless functionality and introduce new features for many years, ensuring updates deployment across a fleet of vehicles without disruption. This approach ensures that a vehicle’s operating system can operate across multiple model generations, much like smartphones that can run the latest OS updates on different devices.
A significant challenge in the automotive industry is the “not-invented-here” syndrome. This results in numerous features being re-written or re-engineered, which not only increases costs but also slows down development cycles. Additionally, this approach can lead to customer dissatisfaction, as they experience unexpected behaviors in the products.
SDVs are supported by several core technologies and trends reshaping the automotive industry:
A crucial yet often overlooked aspect of the automotive industry is the introduction of new semiconductor solutions, such as eFuses and chiplets, more integration and more processing speed. The challenges associated with integrating Ethernet into existing systems are also significant, particularly the latency issues that arise when data passes through multiple gateways during the transition to zonal architecture. This zonal architecture represents a unifying trend in the industry, evolving from the longstanding domain controller model and offering significant advantages. It serves as a powerful computing hub for EDGE use cases, enabling evolution from electrical to software definition and potentially allowing third-party companies to innovate, thereby simplifying software update processes.
The integration of AI technology is becoming a permanent fixture in the industry, even if its applications are not always clear. AI is increasingly being utilized for requirements management, assisting in feature development, supporting digital homologation processes, and enhancing the safety of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). Additionally, the training of models deployed on EDGE devices is also part of this trend.
The evolution of toolchains to support autonomous driving and the SDV ecosystem is still ongoing. Various ideas regarding comprehensive toolchain solutions are emerging, both closed and open. Collaboration among multiple suppliers using the same toolchain plays a significant role in this process. This shift results from the transfer of software control to OEMs, who must become software leaders and develop features that differentiate their brands. Notable advancements include Over-the-Air (OTA) updates based on code deltas, as well as trends like intrusion monitoring and fleet supervision in relation to the Software BOM.
The integration of powerful computing devices and satellite connections will play a significant role in the future of various industries. A Jahmy’s Hindman from John Deere presentation highlighted the remarkable advancements done in agriculture, where autonomous driving and machine operations are made possible through the utilization of high-performance GPUs and satellite communications. The use of Starlink technology enables tractors to operate without human intervention, potentially addressing one of the major challenges in farming: the shortage of available labor.
A recent study by Harvard estimated that the worth of open-source software across global industries is around $8.8 trillion, which is double Germany’s GDP. Thousands of contributors globally actively maintain and enhance the Linux kernel, with the rate of contributions growing swiftly. Moreover, recent vehicle models are experiencing a notable increase in the utilization of free and open-source software (FOSS).
The automotive industry is entering a transformative era with Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), turning cars into intelligent systems that enhance the driving experience. The next decade will require a lot of innovation, collaboration, and standardization to shape the evolving landscape.
Key advancements in semiconductor technologies, AI, and open-source software present significant opportunities to accelerate the development of connected vehicles that better meet user needs. Collaboration among industry players is essential to address challenges in software development, allowing manufacturers to focus on delivering unique customer experiences.
SDVs not only promise enhanced mobility but also contribute to broader goals like sustainability and safety. As the industry embraces cloud connectivity and software-driven innovations, it is poised to lead into a dynamic and interconnected future, where possibilities are limitless.
At ENDEGO, we are well-equipped to address the key trends shaping the automotive industry.
Our system and software teams, along with our wiring harness experts, are actively supporting the shift to zonal architecture, bringing us closer to the introduction on the most widely used OEM platforms. Our software engineers are trained in streamlining the integration of various software stacks, OTA solutions, and High Performance Computing ECUs, adhering to frameworks such as Classic AUTOSAR, Adaptive AUTOSAR, Linux, and Android. Moreover, we are prepared to assist in the adoption of contemporary toolchains and the incorporation of AI as a co-pilot in the development process.
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