In the ever-evolving landscape of automotive software development, Elektrobit, a leading software developing company, stands at the forefront, addressing the dynamic needs of end-users and developers alike.
Sharing insights on the company’s innovative strategies to Mobility Outlook, the company's Associate Director, Sai Sridhar, emphasised the importance of maintaining the highest levels of safety and security in an era where software plays a pivotal role, often unnoticed by end-users until a security or safety breach occurs.
Architecting For The Future
Elektrobit recognises the critical role software plays in driving platform features across multiple vehicle lines. Sridhar underscores the significance of engaging with customer development teams early in the ideation stage. Describing the process as building ‘Lego’ blocks of software during architecture design, he emphasises the long-term investment required to bring value to end-users throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
Collaborative Ecosystems, Lego Blocks
The days of relying on a single supplier for reimagining software-defined vehicle (SDV) architectures are gone. Sridhar highlights the shift in the value stream, with some players transitioning from traditional Tier-2 roles to becoming Tier 0.5 for OEMs. Collaboration across this value stream becomes paramount, creating robust ‘Lego’ blocks that serve as plug-and-play components. This collaborative approach reduces complexity, accelerates time to market, and minimises development costs.
New Product Development Challenges
Engaging with developers and end-users is crucial for validating and testing hypotheses in new product or feature development. Elektrobit's involvement with Electric Two-Wheeler (E2W) OEMs and Passenger Vehicle (PV) OEMs entering the Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) space has unveiled intriguing challenges. From optimising the digital life experience to building lean middleware and incorporating smart software features, Elektrobit is at the forefront of addressing the unique needs of the evolving automotive landscape.
Maverick OEMs And Rapid Innovation
In the midst of the growing electric vehicle (EV) story in India, a new breed of OEMs, referred to as mavericks by Sridhar, is emerging. These companies prioritise quick conceptualisation and launch to gain a first-mover advantage. Their sourcing behaviour was mostly oriented towards 'buy off the shelf' strategy for all standard and proven components like the battery, motor, MCU, BMS but they re-oriented towards 'make self' strategy for those components which can be touched and felt by their consumer, like the central infotainment, vehicle control unit etc., he noted.
Addressing Challenges
While Elektrobit supports its customers with a highly localised team for integration and validation, Sridhar acknowledges challenges in understanding diverse 'jobs to be done' within customer organisations. Defining key performance indicators becomes complex when navigating varied stakeholder objectives. Yet, the company provides the right expertise, leveraging its global footprint to help customers achieve desired outcomes, he added.
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