Technical Insight
Paradigm Shift of Skill Development in the Automotive Industry SHINTO JOSEPH
LDRA
360 Degree Digitization of Automotive Industry
Quality vs. Risk-Based Approach
The concept of 360 Degree Digitization is an extension of industry 4.0, where the entire value chain of product design, development, testing, certification, sales, business promotion, after-sales, and customer engagement is digitized. Digital Twin simulation tools and automated testing tools accelerated this transition, helping in cost reduction and Time to Market. With the digital twin, we can now predict the behaviour of a new car throughout its life cycle. Test automation tools significantly impacted saving time and handling the complexities of multiple technologies and tools in the development environment. This transition brings the concept called ‘softwaredefined cars, like the ‘software-defined things’ emerging in today’s connected smart world.
Traditionally, the automotive industry has got one of the best quality processes to ensure that every car produced is consistent with quality and reliability. Along with Six Sigma certifications, we also saw the introduction of the Automotive Spice model getting implemented during the last couple of years. But with the increasing use of electronics and software, we see more challenges to Auto OEMs from the risks originating from ECU (Electronic Control Units) failures. We also found the assurance levels gained by quality models are not fully addressing the design, development, and testing challenges of electronic components and embedded software-based systems.
38 | Telematics Wire | February 2022
Software – A challenge and opportunity Software usage is exponentially growing due
to increasing demand from customers to have more functionalities, comforts, and ease of driving. Many modern cars have a code size more than in an Airbus 380! Electric and conventional IC engine models are competing on this front. As the fully level 5 autonomous cars race is catching up, the software will be the central focus in modern cars. Of course, the hardware complexities are equally catching up as many chip manufacturers have already implemented AI/ML algorithms with better computing power at the hardware level. Centralized hardware architecture also reduces the number of ECUs and brings better power optimization, especially in electric vehicles. We all know the advantages and the flexibilities software brings in. With a software update, the car could behave in a totally different way, giving customers the feeling of a new car, something OEMs could never promise in the olden days. However, increased software usage also brings in additional safety
