The Inevitable Evolution of Automotive Industry

The rise of electric vehicles, autonomous driving systems, and connected car platforms has disrupted traditional paradigms, compelling automakers to adapt and innovate at an astonishing pace.

This rise comes along with its set of challenges:

1. Budgets per vehicle are decreasing. The traditional method of delegating tasks to 150+ suppliers and spending millions on each of them does not seem to be an effective solution.

2. Vehicles are evolving into devices on wheels, with rich functionality and regular updates, and even more - into living spaces on wheels, offering more convenience features due to its size.

3. The customers always want to have lower cost of ownership.

The bar has recently been raised high by Chinese companies who demonstrated the skill to deliver a mature product with great cost in a short time.

To stay competitive, automakers need a way to speed up vehicle creation and reduce development costs.

This cannot be achieved without a major shift in the method. This shift implies ultimate efficiency of the process, precise data model and highest degree of automation.

The World saw all this before. Do you remember Telecom in 2007? Nokia was in great position then. Same year in 2007 Apple presented their first iPhone. A year after in 2008 Google Android made first public release. In 2011 Nokia literally lost the business. It took just 4 years for Software-focused players to take over the leading positions in Telecom.

Similarly Software Defined revolution has come to Automotive industry now.

By decoupling Hardware from Software and embracing a Software-centric approach, Software Defined Vehicles offer unparalleled flexibility, upgradability, and personalization. This paradigm shift allows vehicles to evolve and improve over time, adapting to changing user needs and technological advancements.

For Automakers it implies a new mindset based on Feature Driven Development rather than System Driven Development and their combination to handle the complexity of Next Generation vehicle products.

At the same time the world today stands on the edge of a revolution, driven by the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its transformative potential.

By harnessing the potential of machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing, AI enables vehicles to evolve into intelligent, adaptive, and personalized companions that anticipate and cater to the unique needs of each individual.

It suddenly becomes so obvious that SDV and AI should be combined, they need to play together to achieve best results. But how can you connect them in a practical world?

The answer is Digital Twin. Digital Twin facilitates the organization of data within the SDV domain. It aids in the progression of an engineering concept from its inception to a functional prototype, followed by a certified design and a product in operation. This product is then sold, utilized, upgraded, and serviced for customers.

By creating virtual replicas of vehicles and their components as well as processes used to create them, Digital Twins enable us to simulate, test, and optimize every aspect of a vehicle performance in a risk-free environment. This accelerates development cycles, reduces costs, and ensures that the final product meets the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Digital Twin approach serves as a language that enables AI to comprehend SDV. This aids in enhancing the precision of AI, thereby reducing the likelihood of structural errors.

Central to SODA vision is the concept of the SODA Technology Triad – a synergistic fusion of SDV, AI and Digital Twin. This powerful concept enables us to create vehicles that are not only technologically advanced but also tailored to the needs and preferences of their users. By leveraging the power of each component and boosting integration between them, we aim to change the way vehicles are designed, developed, and experienced.

SODA Technology Triad serves as a catalyst for innovation and a framework for success. Each element of the triangle plays a crucial role in realizing our vision.

SDV - Redefining the Essence of Vehicles

SODA approach to SDVs involves an agile and flexible software solution that can be easily customized and adapted to different vehicle models and use cases. This solution enables rapid development and deployment of new features, while ensuring a consistent and secure software foundation.

The benefits of SDV approach:

1. Over-the-air updates: SDVs can receive software updates wirelessly, enabling continuous improvements and bug fixes without the need for physical service visits

2. Personalization: Users can customize their vehicle's features, user interface, and performance settings based on their preferences

3. Upgradability: Zonal Architecture and Central Computing Unit allows for the easy addition of new features and functionalities as technology evolves

4. Improved Safety, Security and Quality: Software-based safety and security features can be continuously updated and enhanced, adapting to new regulations and best practices

By embracing the concept of Software Defined Vehicles, SODA is transformsforming the vehicles from static objects to dynamic, intelligent, and evolving systems.

AI - Intelligent Assistants Revolutionizing Automotive Processes

AI Agents are intelligent software modules that assist in various aspects of automotive development, from design and engineering to testing and validation. These AI-powered assistants leverage vast amounts of data and advanced machine learning algorithms to provide insights, recommendations, and automation capabilities.

SODA AI Agents are trained on extensive datasets, including historical vehicle data, customer preferences, and industry best practices. They can analyze complex patterns, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to streamline automotive processes.

Some key applications of AI Agents in SODA include:

1. Design optimization: AI Agents can suggest design improvements based on performance simulations and customer preferences

2. Requirements analysis: Natural language processing enables AI Agents to interpret and analyze complex requirements documents

3. Code generation: AI-assisted coding accelerates software development and reduces human errors

4. Testing and validation: AI Agents can generate test cases, identify edge cases, and automate the validation process

By leveraging AI Agents, SODA can significantly reduce development time, improve quality, and foster innovation in the automotive industry.

Digital Twin - Virtualizing Vehicles for Optimized Development

Digital Twins are virtual replicas of physical vehicles, encompassing every aspect of their design, performance, and behavior. By creating a Digital Twin of a vehicle, SODA can simulate and analyze its characteristics in a virtual environment, enabling engineers to optimize designs, test scenarios, and predict maintenance needs without the need for physical prototypes.

The use of Digital Twins allows for rapid iteration and experimentation, reducing development time and costs while improving overall vehicle quality. SODA advanced Digital Twin technology incorporates real-time data from sensors and IoT devices, creating a dynamic and accurate representation of the vehicle throughout its lifecycle.

Through the power of Digital Twin approach, SODA can:

1. Simulate vehicle performance under various conditions, such as extreme weather or challenging terrains

2. Identify potential design flaws and safety issues early in the development process

3. Optimize vehicle components for enhanced efficiency and durability

4. Predict maintenance requirements and proactively address potential failures

Conclusion

SODA Technology Triad is not just a collection of isolated technologies. It is a holistic, interconnected ecosystem that amplifies the strengths of each component. By seamlessly integrating SDV, AI and Digital Twin, SODA is creating a new paradigm for automotive development – one that is smarter, faster, and more responsive to the ever-changing demands of the market.

SODA is not only shaping the future of the automotive industry but also redefining what it means to be a vehicle in the 21st century. As we move forward, SODA commitment to innovation leads us to a new era of intelligent, adaptable, and personalized mobility.