6 software solutions
tional prototypes provide a holistic
view of the complete vehicle be-fore
hardware upgrades are made,
and real-world data from the in-use
phase now informs the entire
development process, from con-cept
through to testing, validation
and verification. All of it driven by
software.
In this way established OEMs can
draw on what they have spent de-cades
building, and step forward
with confidence by augmenting and
refining their conventional devel-opment
environments using the lat-est
digital tools. And similarly with
this vast experience under our belt,
we can support the newest entrants
in the automotive market, too.
THE VEHICLE AS A PLATFORM
FOR EXPERIENCE
As new mobility concepts and
components, such as BEV, fuel
cells and e-motors, drive a push
for ultra-efficient systems, we will
increasingly see vehicle differenti-ation
becoming a software centric
issue. Where the traditional powertrain designs must balance complex
mechanical/electrical engineering with subjective driver experiences, new
electrified platforms create a complexity of integration where subjective
driver experience is highly software centric.
This puts new entrants to the market – particularly those who specialize
in the application of data – at an advantage. Yet they too will struggle to
find success with an understanding of software alone. While software will
become the defining attribute of a vehicle and its features, with firmware
upgrades increasingly being the only difference between models, knowledge
of vehicle hardware and the global automotive landscape and frame-work
is also required. After all, you cannot drive software on its own.
Furthermore, it takes years to develop the international knowledge that
is extremely relevant to the development and market acceptance of new
technologies. Traffic and driving style vary vastly from country to country.
This has big implications for new technologies such as automated driving
systems, and thermal and energy management strategies, which must be-have
differently in Europe, for example, than in countries such as India.
With our worldwide reach and experience we are perfectly placed to part-ner
with new entrants who understand the brains of the machine, but not
necessarily the machine itself, or the nuances of global and regional mar-ket
influences. And similarly, we are in an ideal position to help long-es-tablished
industry partners rise up to meet the opportunities that the soft-ware
revolution offers.
It’s no accident that our experience in both the latest connected technol-ogies,
and the established norms of the automotive industry allow us to
help all parties successfully find their feet in this brave new world of mo-bility.
Indeed, we designed it this way.
OUR INDUSTRY IS MOVING TO A SOFTWARE-DEFINED ECOSYSTEM,
THEREFORE WE CONTINUE COMBINING OUR EXISTING
GLOBAL SOFTWARE FORCES WITH OUR AUTOMOTIVE DOMAIN
APPLICATIONS KNOW-HOW TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS WITHIN
THIS TRANSFORMATION.”
Dr. Wolfgang Puntigam
Global Business Unit Manager, IODP, AVL
“