On Sept. 15, Arm announced a new direction in its IP and technology portfolio to address the transformation of the automotive industry whose center of gravity is rapidly moving toward software, rather than hardware, components.

It appears evident that open-software platforms are of strategic import for the new mobility era. This role is evident not only from different bodies and companies investing in them, but also the effect on regional interests that are characterizing the automotive industry lately, with counterposing economic powers trying to dominate.

Across the automotive supply chain, software-defined vehicles appear to be following a clear path to future-proof architectures. Software architectures and standardized software platforms are fundamental to simplifying vehicle functional complexity while keeping up with the pace of technology and innovation, spanning from vehicle’s implementation to the back end and infrastructure digitalization.

At the recent International Mobility Show (IAA 2021) in Munich, Germany, Renault was quite vocal about its Renault Mégane E-Tech, which has adopted Android Automotive as the entire OS for the cockpit and head unit and is powered by “omni-present” Qualcomm SoCs. Just two week later, Honda announced as well to deploy Android Automotive in an “all-new” vehicle that will be launched along 2022, piling up to the list of adopters after Polestar, Volvo, and Renault. The following is a summary of my observations and a synthesis of the feedback I received.

Next-generation E/E architectures will create new business models for automakers and suppliers. But a Wards Intelligence survey shows few see themselves as pacesetters, and there’s some uncertainty about where the best monetization opportunities are. The massive change in operations, and the associated costs, will put constraints on the timeframe and depth of the changes in infrastructure and vehicle architectures that OEMs will be able to address.

A consequence of a software defined environment, driven by data, is that process digitalization and model engineering are becoming essential assets at various levels in the automotive industry: from the vehicles to OEMs´ back-end and the mobility infrastructure.

 A look at the evolution to the software-defined vehicle and its impact on electrical/electronic architectures.