Fortunately, new technologies are available, enabling carmakers to produce the software-defined vehicles (SDV) of the future. Driven by powerful software, these cars can meet the needs of the discerning consumer while also driving up profits for the automakers.
While software may be the key to the car of the future, this shift requires an all-out change in the car production process. Developing the software that can meaningfully change the vehicle to meet customer demands is a relatively simpler challenge, but implementing those capabilities into actual vehicles poses the greater hurdle. Currently, cars are built in such a way that each new feature requires its own ECU, which comes with its own complex wiring. Adding a new feature involves building and installing a new ECU, adding significant weight and complexity to a vehicle infrastructure that is already full. It also means re-wiring the entire car each time a new feature is added, creating an unrealistically long development cycle when there are likely to be ongoing upgrades and new features to introduce.
Moving from the traditional car-manufacturing methodology to zonal architecture will facilitate the shift to the SDV. Decoupling the software functionality from the physical hardware and equipping vehicles with a few central servers and a number of Zonal and Sub-zonal Gateways will result in the consolidation of the number of ECUs and the ability to relay large amounts of data through fewer high-speed ethernet links. In simple terms, this means that each vehicle will have several High-Powered Computers (HPCs) and then any number of software components and applications can be added and upgraded as needed, via the cloud.
Cars are expensive and complex to build. Next-generation architecture (like Zonal) reduces the costs by streamlining the number of components and simplifying the development, testing, verification, and production process, resulting in the following benefits:
Zonal architecture is a win-win for manufacturers and consumers alike. Drivers will get the personalized, convenient, seamless experience they crave, while OEMs will save on production costs, increasing their profit margins.
As with the introduction of any new technology, it is reasonable for OEMs to question whether the shift to zonal architecture might also introduce new security concerns. Making it easier and more efficient to offer better and faster entertainment and other non-critical functions is a no-brainer. Is there, however, reason to be concerned about zonal controllers and other consolidated components’ ability to manage critical functions such as steering control, brakes, and airbags?
The simple answer is no. Zonal architecture makes it easier for features to be built secure by design. Time-sensitive and safety-critical components can be kept separate from entertainment and other non-critical applications, ensuring protection against any physical or virtual attacks. Today’s reality requires being on constant alert against cyber attackers and the move to software-defined vehicles puts cars at the same risk as other tech-heavy industries.
In the same way that zonal architecture provides a solution for changing consumer demands, it also helps to addresses safety and security concerns.
Knowing that Zonal architecture is the key to the future of the software-defined vehicle does not mean that the shift can (or should) happen overnight. There are two main approaches being used to create SDVs today:
The approach an OEM chooses is dependent on a number of factors including the capabilities they are trying to achieve as well as the amount of time, human and financial resources they have to dedicate to the project. The ultimate goal is for zonal architecture to be implemented at the full vehicle level rather than at the system level, which will enable SDVs to reach their full potential.
While the new OEMs entering the market can start out with next-gen or Zonal architecture, it is not as easy for existing OEMs to simply replace the legacy components with a brand new system all at once. For them, the transition to zonal architecture should be done in a staged process, choosing the features most vital to drivers to focus on first. In this way, challenges and concerns can be addressed along the way, ultimately resulting in a full-fledged SDV. For more information on how GuardKnox can help you along this journey, please contact us.