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How software is redefining the vehicle
The automotive industry is undergoing the biggest transformation since the introduction of electronics in vehicles: future vehicles will be increasingly software-centred in order to obtain new or improved functions and applications even after purchase, while at the same time eliminating errors and safety gaps. This new type of vehicle is known as a ‘Software Defined Vehicle’ (SDV).
Our ‘SDV on Tour’ series of articles provides an overview of the four IT areas we have identified that are most affected by this change and are also crucial for a successful transformation:
- SDV.CLOUD
- SDV.ONBOARD
- SDV.OFFBOARD
- SDV.DEV
While SDV is expanding vehicle development through cloud services and technologies (SDV.CLOUD) and consumer IT (SDV.OFFBOARD), traditional OEMs must not only create an SDV-compatible onboard architecture (SDV.ONBOARD), but also rethink the entire product development process. SDV.DEV bundles all methods, processes and tools that enable the transition from a hardware-centred vehicle to a software-driven product. In particular, the growing system complexity and the pressure to deliver new functions ever faster in a strictly regulated environment are the challenges to which SDV.DEV must provide an answer.
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.png "Guerrasio, Lorenzo")
Lorenzo Guerrasio
Lead Business Consultant
Illustration: SDV visualization
Efficient vehicle development with SDV.DEV
A central element in SDV.DEV is the selection and integration of an end-to-end toolchain that covers the entire product development process (PDP) - from requirements capture to validation on the target hardware. This is the only way OEMs can remain agile and accelerate their software journey: Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD) in a lean, automated E2E pipeline becomes a decisive competitive advantage.
System engineering methods such as Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and the RFLP principle (Requirement-Functional-Logical-Physical) are established for mastering complexity. These visualisation and modelling techniques make it easier to understand complex system relationships and accelerate coordination between domains. At the same time, modern CI/CD pipelines and close integration with SDV.ONBOARD architectures enable new software ideas to be turned into prototypes and ready for production in the shortest possible time.
Another key factor is the use of AI in the development process. AI-supported tools can automatically check requirements for redundancies and inconsistencies, support categorisation in architecture models and even generate test cases. Coding assistants (‘CoPilot’) speed up implementation, while test case generators and automated code reviews increase quality and test coverage.
Safety and security continue to play a central role in SDV.DEV. Standards such as ISO 26262, ISO 21448 and ISO 21434 define strict process requirements for functional safety and cybersecurity. OEMs must integrate these regulations into agile workflows without blocking the speed of software development.
The challenge in SDV.DEV is to find a balance between compliance with strict safety standards and the flexibility to react quickly to market changes. This requires continuous adaptation and optimisation of development processes as well as close collaboration between different teams and departments. Lean organisational structures and strong integration of development tools are therefore crucial to successfully meeting these challenges and developing innovative, safe and reliable solutions for the automotive industry.
msg for automotive supports its customers along their entire software journey and offers a wide range of services to make SDV.DEV fit for software-centred vehicle development.
On the one hand, we advise on the evaluation, selection and roadmapping of suitable processes, methods and tools - always on a sound technical basis.
In addition, we develop, integrate and personalise tools and systems that support the entire software development process. Whether proven standard products such as Codebeamer, Cameo/MagicDraw or preeVision or specially developed, AI-supported tools for the automated generation of test requirements and test cases in simulated environments: We create solutions that optimise workflows and enable seamless collaboration across teams.
Our approach covers all phases of vehicle development - from the concept and design phase to production and quality management. We draw on many years of experience in setting up central developer platforms that implement the RFLP methodology for integrated process and data modelling.
For software logistics and OTA rollout, we design and operate complex remote software platforms that control updates in multi-provider setups reliably and in compliance with the law. We take care of requirements and configuration management, integrate regulatory requirements (e.g. UNECE R156) into the release processes and coordinate cross-functional DevOps teams according to agile principles.
With end-to-end integration planning and consistency checks - from the development workshop to the final OTA rollout - we ensure that new releases are implemented efficiently, securely and consistently while automating and accelerating central homologation processes.
Our consulting and development services also include the implementation of cybersecurity processes and role concepts in accordance with SUMS, CSMS and relevant ISO standards (ISO 26262, ISO 21434, etc.). In this way, we anchor security requirements at process and role level and ensure the compliance of your OTA processes.
With our holistic service, we support companies in successfully mastering the digital transformation - and in making their SDV.DEV technologies secure, efficient and market-relevant.
