Automotive Embedded Software

ECUs powered by embedded software deliver a broad range of capabilities, including electronic stability control, anti-lock braking, adaptive cruise control, airbag control, navigation, automatic parking systems, and more.

Unlike other types of software development, automotive embedded systems typically:

• Are packaged in ECUs that deliver discrete functionality and cannot be repurposed
• Control parts that are not easily updated and must operate flawlessly over the life of the vehicle
• Are extremely complex, requiring the collaboration of multiple requirements, design, development, and test stakeholders
• Must meet the highest levels of availability, safety, and reliability
• Are connected both with other onboard embedded systems and remote systems such as GPS
• Require real-time response, mandating a real-time operating system (RTOS) and programming language
• Are collaboratively developed within complex automotive supply chains
• Operate within a low-power consumption environment

Regulatory standards and guidelines in the automotive sector govern vehicle safety, quality, and functionality, as well as the rigor of processes used to create them. An ALM platform with built-in support for automotive standards can streamline compliance and focus on innovation. Three standards are especially important:

• ISO 21434 encourages automakers to consider cybersecurity concerns and measures throughout the whole lifecycle of the product. Automotive OEMs and suppliers need to be able to demonstrate that they have implemented the recommended safeguards and have done their due diligence.
• ISO 26262 governs functional safety requirements of electrical, electronic, and programmable electronic systems in production vehicles. Users must take safety measures to avoid, detect, control, or mitigate systematic and random hardware failures.
• IEC 61508 governs functional safety of electrical, electronic, and programmable safety-related systems. Organizations must assess, document, and mitigate safety functions failures.
• Automotive Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination (ASPICE) defines software development best practices in the automotive sector, empowering teams to continuously assess and improve their development processes.
• Automotive Open System Architecture (AUTOSAR) is a global partnership of leading automotive companies dedicated to enabling greater reuse, standardization, and interoperability in the automotive sector. As the automotive industry embraces highly automated driving, safety and performance will increasingly require the ability to sense and respond to other vehicles, as well as external environmental factors. AUTOSAR’s emerging standards are paving the way to the smart, connected mobility systems of the future.