The news from Fatishaifen, Germany. Future cars will have advanced network and automation features defined by software. But even if the operation of the vehicle is more like smartphone, “the software defined by the software” is not just “smartphones on the wheel.” Their difference is that the quality and quantity of the car hardware system requires intelligent interconnection through a software platform to help passengers comfortably and safely.
On the eve of 2021 CES, EF released its latest middleware. This open software platform is a “bridge” between the vehicle’s calculation operation system and its software applications. The main function of the middleware is through portable software applications to reduce computer hardware and communication of these applications.
As the “bridge”, the EF’s middleware can realize efficient communication from the software function to the hardware component. It provides the independence and compatibility of itself a benchmark for the future of the car platform. 
Dr. Dirk Walliser, Senior Vice President, EF Development and Innovation Technology, said: “The launch of the new middleware has fulfilled the global systematic supplier of the future car to define future vehicles. One commitment. Integration of software and hardware helps customers speed up research and development progress and reduce complexity.
In the entire life cycle of the vehicle, we can provide functions to customers with functional upgrade or provide additional features selected on demand.
As a integrated software platform, the middleware developed by EF will be mounted on mass production vehicles in 2024. Its development is closely linked to the development of application software, such as autonomous driving, integrated safety systems, vehicle motion control, and electric drive systems.
Software defined automotive systemization solution
As early as the first batch of electronic control units (ECU) early in the 1970s, it has been installed in the car, close In the past 50 years, the car components can always be maintained. Today, vehicles may have up to 100 different ECUs. Every one contains its own software. In new and future vehicle platforms, electrical and electronic architectural (E / E architectural architectures) will have a huge change.Software functions are turned from a decentralized controller with only a few dedicated
domain control unit (DCU), for example for autonomous driving functions. All of these software applications will benefit from a smooth middleware integrated platform to handle system integration.
The middleware reduces the complexity of the system
As a connector to connect the software application and the vehicle hardware component, only the middleware needs to be connected to the operating system. This approach can reduce the interface and ensure fast communication with all parts of the system, and can help automotive manufacturers significantly reduce the complexity of system integration.
The same principle is also applicable to the development of hardware components. The middleware simplifies the flexibility integration with the vehicle to provide communication with “a universal language”. It can “translate” and standardize the communication rules between the different hard software layers of the vehicle. Software, Functions, Intelligent Systems: Caif is a unique system solution provider in the field of hardware software, making software definition cars a reality.
Acceleration and Improvement Procedures
Open hardware and software architecture can accelerate and improve the captory, vehicles The development process of the manufacturer and other partners from the initial period of development to the entire life cycle of the vehicle. Therefore, vehicle manufacturers and end customers can benefit from the most advanced innovative vehicle functions. Based on the software architecture of the vehicle manufacturer, Qifu provides a modular solution that can be integrated into the entire vehicle manufacturer software platform by covering the middleware of the entire platform solution to a single module. Thanks to the expansion of the next generation of travel vehicles to be expanded to the next generation of travel vehicles, EF can provide traditional automakers and new power to provide software, calculation and sensor hardware and connection actuators. Integrated system.
The Global Software Center will be established in 2021
Qifu has prepared for the new challenges in software, functions, and intelligent systems and passed next year. Established a global software center to actively expand a large number of development process solutions. The Software Center will be responsible by Dr. Nico Hartmann, Vice President of the EF Software Solutions and Global Software. “Our Global Software Center will be responsible for the development of software systems for future architecture, and putting it from the entire company’s software application, Dr. Dirk Walliser said,” This will make the elephant Vo can coordinate and standardize new trends, techniques, methods, processes, tools and functions, enabling the software developed on the General Development Platform to provide all of the SF department. “
” Our method Representative of a new software development: we are not aimed at “concentration” software development. The reason is very simple: we will not reduce the area level hardware and software interconnection in the experienced team to invest for a long time. Its competitiveness. In contrast, we provide complementary support and implement joint software integration projects to create ideal overall conditions. This makes the expert team to get the latest resources through the Global Software Center while paying attention to itself. On the other hand Pure software products, such as our middleware, can be concentrated in the development of the Global Software Center, and later provide for further use. “Dr. Nico Hartmann said.
From the medium term, this will enable the EF Group to have a unified architecture and development environment. By cooperating with customers and partners, you can develop or adjust software more quickly to meet the needs of the future by software defined vehicles.
Afu’s set of hardware and software development processes in the same manner provide innovation, integration and industry-leading solution Program. They are not only unparalleled in the component level, but also in a comprehensive smart vehicle system, providing unique user experience.