Software Defined Vehicles: The Future of Automotive Mobility
The automotive industry is undergoing a radical transformation, driven by the convergence of electrification, automation, connectivity, and shared mobility. These trends are reshaping customer expectations, value propositions, and the competitive landscape of the industry. In this context, software is becoming a key differentiator and enabler of innovation, as it allows vehicles to manage their operations, add functionality, and enable new features primarily or entirely through software. These vehicles are known as Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs), and they represent the next evolutionary stage in vehicle development.
Natural Evolution?
Today, the heart of automotive vehicles beats not just with pistons and gears, but with the pulsating rhythm of software!
Historical Background
The evolution of SDVs can be traced back to the development of electronic control units (ECUs) in vehicles, which are devices that control various functions and systems of the vehicle, such as engine, transmission, brakes, steering, infotainment, etc.
According to Ilona Tzudnowski, Continental’s Media Spokesperson and Topic Manager for Software and Central Technologies, the first ECU was introduced in the 1970s, and since then, the number and complexity of ECUs have increased exponentially, reaching up to 150 million lines of code and 100 ECUs per vehicle.
However, the proliferation of ECUs also created challenges, such as increased cost, weight, wiring, power consumption, and complexity. Moreover, the ECUs were often designed and developed by different suppliers, resulting in compatibility and integration issues, as well as limited flexibility and scalability. To overcome these challenges, the automotive industry adopted different architectures to consolidate and optimize the ECUs, such as:
ECU Architecture: This is the traditional and most common architecture, where each ECU is dedicated to a specific function or system, and communicates with other ECUs through a network of buses and gateways. This architecture offers high reliability and performance, but also high complexity and redundancy.
Domain Architecture: This is a more advanced architecture, where the ECUs are grouped into domains based on their functionality, such as powertrain, chassis, body, infotainment, etc. Each domain has a domain controller that manages the communication and coordination of the ECUs within the domain, and connects to other domains through a high-speed backbone network. This architecture offers higher integration and efficiency, but also higher cost and dependency.
Zonal Architecture: This is a novel architecture, where the ECUs are distributed into zones based on their physical location, such as front, rear, left, right, etc. Each zone has a zone controller that acts as a gateway and power distributor for the ECUs within the zone, and connects to other zones and the cloud through an Ethernet network. This architecture offers higher scalability and modularity, but also higher latency and security risks.
BOSCH Group on YouTube: SW Defined Vehicle
Software Defined Vehicle Architecture
The SDV architecture is the ultimate goal of the automotive industry, where the software defines and controls the vehicle’s value to its end users or customers. It can also be defined as a vehicle where the software defines the functionalities and capabilities that provide users with safer, more secure, and more comfortable experiences. To achieve this, the SDV architecture relies on the following components:
High-performance computers (HPCs): These are powerful computing devices that process, manage, and distribute the data from sensors and control units, as well as run the software applications and algorithms that enable the vehicle’s features and functions. The HPCs can be centralized or distributed, depending on the level of autonomy and connectivity of the vehicle.
Telematics unit (TU): This is a device that connects the vehicle with the environment and the cloud, enabling data exchange, over-the-air updates, remote diagnostics, and cloud-based services. The TU can also support vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, which allows the vehicle to communicate with other vehicles, infrastructure, pedestrians, and devices, enhancing safety and efficiency.
Operating System (OS): This is a software platform that provides the basic functionality and interface for the vehicle, such as booting, memory management, task scheduling, security, etc. The OS can be proprietary or open-source, depending on the level of customization and standardization of the vehicle.
Middleware: This is a software layer that provides the common services and libraries for the software applications and algorithms that run on the vehicle, such as data management, communication, security, etc. The middleware can also support the interoperability and compatibility of different software modules and components, as well as the integration of third-party software and services.
Software applications and Algorithms: These are the software modules and components that define and enable the vehicle’s features and functions, such as driver assistance, infotainment, navigation, etc. The software applications and algorithms can be developed by the vehicle manufacturer, the supplier, or the third-party provider, depending on the level of differentiation and innovation of the vehicle.
Middleware Transforming E/E Systems Engineering. The transition from traditional CAN Bus communication towards high-speed Ethernet in the Distributed Zonal Architecture.
“Middleware is Lubricant and Glue of SDV E/E Architecture.”, Dr. Jianwei ZHANG, Continental autosar.org
Market Leaders and Opportunities
According to the report from GMI Research, the global SDV market is expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 22.1% between 2023 and 2032, reaching $419.7 billion by 2030. This growth is driven by increasing demand for advanced features in vehicles, stringent vehicle safety regulations, increased investments in research and development, and enhanced navigation and connectivity.
The SDV market is getting more and more competitive and dynamic, with several players vying for leadership and market share. According to the same report, some of the prominent players in the SDV market are Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Nvidia Corporation (USA), Qualcomm (US), APTIV (Ireland), Valeo (France), Marelli Holdings Co., Ltd. (Japan), Continental AG (Germany), Volkswagen Group (Germany), Tesla (US), HARMAN International (US), and BlackBerry Limited (US), among others.
The SDV market also offers significant opportunities for new entrants, especially from the technology sector, as they can leverage their expertise in software, cloud, artificial intelligence, and data analytics to create value-added services and solutions for the automotive industry. For example, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is collaborating with Continental to establish a new approach for the efficient development of software for service-oriented vehicle architectures in the automotive industry.
Short-Term Trends
The SDV market is expected to witness several trends and developments in the short term, such as:
Increased adoption of software as a service (SaaS) and subscription-based models, where the vehicle manufacturer or the service provider can offer new features and functions to the customers on demand, creating new revenue streams and enhancing customer loyalty.
Increased collaboration and partnership among the automotive and technology players, as well as the regulators and standardization bodies, to foster innovation, interoperability, and regulation of the SDV market, addressing the challenges and opportunities of the software-driven future of mobility.
Increased focus on cybersecurity and data privacy, as the SDVs generate and exchange large amounts of data, exposing them to potential cyberattacks and data breaches. The SDV market will require robust and resilient cybersecurity solutions and frameworks, as well as clear and transparent data governance and policies, to ensure the safety and security of both customers and the industry.
another Projected Growth for Vehicle Software Market between 2020 and 2030
www.jabil.com
Conclusion
The SDV market is a fast-growing and dynamic market, with significant potential and opportunities for the automotive industry. It is expected that the SDV market will require a paradigm shift in the vehicle development and delivery, as well as the business and operating models of the automotive players. The SDV market will also pose several challenges, such as complexity, cost, compatibility, and cybersecurity, that will need to be addressed and mitigated. The SDV market will ultimately create a more connected, autonomous, and personalized driving experience for customers, and a more competitive and innovative landscape for the industry.
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