The last 10 years has seen significant changes in the automotive industry, but nothing compared to what the next decade will bring. What does the future hold for in-vehicle software architecture? Discover how Cubic’s connected software technologies are transforming automotive as technology journalist Adrian Bridgwater sits down with Punitha Sinnapan (VP of Automotive Design and Innovation, Cubic Telecom), to discuss the future of mobility and how OEMs can take a leading edge by becoming software-defined vehicle manufacturers.
How is in-vehicle software architecture transforming automotive?
Automotive manufacturers are moving towards software-defined vehicles with growing compute requirements; this creates new challenges for the OEMs. With the growing importance of software in the vehicle, business models for the industry are evolving faster than ever. For OEMs, they want to be able to consolidate into a single architecture and run multiple environments specific to a certain domain and different functionality. Cubic facilitates a centralised architecture, where changes to backend systems can be made simply and quickly to take advantage of new service opportunities or reset protocols for existing ones. Cubic orchestrates and consolidate these concepts, reduces complexity for OEMs, and accelerates innovation across this evolving landscape.
How can OEMs improve the lifecycle of the vehicle?
OEMs face challenges in dynamic markets where there is an urgency to innovate and monetise new services. Vehicles are usually in development for around two years before they are launched, and by the time they enter the market, they may not be up-to-date in terms of the performance capabilities. That is why Cubic is working with OEMs to develop technologies that support continuous future-proof device management — for example, when the device can be observed and monitored to ensure new features and capabilities can be pushed remotely. Cubic is going to play a central role in this arena, where the manufacturer and the ecosystem are aligned so that updates get to the vehicle without disrupting the quality and reliability of the system. Cubic is an orchestrator that removes complexities for the OEM, making it easier to upgrade and update the device constantly over its lifecycle.
What role will Over the Air (OTA) updates play?
To upgrade or update the software in a vehicle today, the driver needs to visit a service centre so that a technician can make the updates on-site – and sometimes this requires changing the hardware as well. This is where Tesla set a new precedent by pushing Over the Air (OTA) software updates, where we are now able to improve the system performance and update remotely for different features. Cubic’s combination of software and infrastructure enables manufacturers to ship cars preconfigured for optimum connectivity with regulatory requirements already in place for each country. Real-time OTA modifications of components, firmware and applications, gives carmakers the flexibility they need, not just to save time and money, but to ensure updates and changes are delivered securely, quickly and efficiently.
How will connected software solutions impact future mobility?
Shared mobility is going to be the biggest transition point in the industry. We’re seeing the majority of OEMs focusing on electric vehicles (EVs), and then there’s autonomous driving which will be next milestone that everyone is anticipating. But there is an interim point where the ownership of the vehicle is going to transform into shared mobility, accessible to all, giving users the benefits of a convenient and efficient mobility system. To reach this point, the whole ecosystem – from infrastructure to regulations – will need to be rewritten to support autonomous vehicles.
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