For over 40 years, we at IAV have been domain experts in powertrain software. Our extensive experience spans from conventional drives (ICE) to hybrid (xHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV). With the current trend towards Software Defined Vehicles (SDV), we are actively driving this development as a service provider. 

Unified SDV Architecture for All Powertrains

We assume that all manufacturers will operate only one SDV architecture in the future, which will no longer differentiate between different powertrains. This architecture enables the decoupling of software and hardware and integrates high-quality software functions from existing powertrain architectures. Instead of reinventing these functions, we abstract and integrate them into the SDV architecture. Through refactoring, we can also partially rework these functions. Both lead to a significantly better allocation of requirements within the control unit software architectures while simultaneously providing more stable and streamlined interfaces. 

Efficiency through Reuse of Legacy Code

The reuse of legacy code is of central importance to us. The development of the code and functions has incurred significant costs and achieved a high level of maturity. For this reason, we strive to reuse as much code as possible. Our deep knowledge and experience enable us to efficiently utilize this legacy code and minimize the development effort for our customers. This results in significant cost and efficiency advantages, as OEMs no longer need to run different development tracks. 

Challenges in Integrating Legacy Code

However, integrating legacy code into a modern SDV architecture is not without challenges. Functions that are to be extracted into a central SDV architecture largely do not exist in an optimal modular form, so new interfaces need to be found and dependencies may need to be changed. This is primarily enabled by clean data encapsulation and functionally meaningful allocation and requires an adjustment of the interfaces to ensure seamless integration into the new environment. 

Another challenge is the complexity of the powertrain system. Compared to a simple electric machine, the powertrain is significantly more complex, and the knowledge is deeply embedded in the legacy code. The abstraction and reuse of these functions require a high level of expertise and experience, which we possess at IAV. 

Centralization and Scalability

In the SDV architecture, a central computer takes over functions that are currently located in component control units. These component control units become "smart actuators" with component-specific functions, while all other functions run on the overarching SDV level. This enables scalable and efficient development and integration. 

Safety, FUSI, and Cybersecurity in the Powertrain Area

The safety of our solutions is of the highest priority. The connected SDV architecture creates new entry points for attacks, which we secure through our comprehensive cybersecurity measures. We ensure the safe operation of the powertrain system by developing and securing new interfaces. Our scalable, data-based diagnostic system for cybersecurity ensures that no risks are overlooked. Additionally, we integrate functional safety (FUSI) into our processes to prevent unintended acceleration and other safety-critical issues. 

Conclusion

With our many years of expertise and innovative approaches, we are driving the development of software for powertrains and SDV. By reusing legacy code, centralizing functions, and implementing comprehensive security measures, we offer our customers efficient and secure solutions for the future of the automotive industry. Despite the challenges of integrating old software into the SDV architecture, we are able to successfully overcome them and provide significant benefits to our customers.