Tag Archives: softwaredefined

VolvoCars

Volvo Cars opens new, cutting-edge software testing centre in Sweden

Volvo Cars has unveiled its new software testing centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of its commitment to investing in software development and testing. The centre will enable integrated software testing at all levels and support Volvo’s ambition to be a leader in new technology and a fully electric car company by 2030.

Spanning an impressive 22,000 square meters and with an initial investment of approximately SEK 300 million, the new testing facility is the largest in Volvo’s network of engineering centres and Tech Hubs globally. The company also operates software test centres in Lund, Sweden, and Shanghai, China.

The automotive industry is rapidly changing, and Volvo is adapting to this shift with its fully electric cars. These vehicles are hardware designed but software-defined, allowing for over-the-air software updates and continuous improvement. As a result, in-house software development and testing are crucial to Volvo’s strategy.

Anders Bell, Global Head of R&D at Volvo, stated, “This is a state-of-the-art facility that will be the hub for our global software testing and validation activities. With this new testing centre, we’ve set a new benchmark for the automotive industry.” 

Initially, the new testing centre will employ around 100 people, but that number is expected to increase to 300 once the facility is running at full capacity. The site will eventually house approximately 500 testing rigs and digital test environments.

The Gothenburg testing centre will collaborate closely with Volvo’s other engineering centres worldwide. Recently, the company established a Tech Hub in Singapore and announced plans for an additional software-focused Tech Hub in Krakow, Poland. 

Alwin Bakkenes, Global Head of Software Engineering at Volvo, explained, “Our growing ranks of software engineers work on a wide variety of exciting challenges. The aim is to boost our innovation speed by developing software for key areas, from core safety technology to software for future autonomous driving.” 

Volvo is actively recruiting software engineers worldwide to support its software development efforts. The company has Tech Hubs in Stockholm and Lund in Sweden, Bangalore in India, and large engineering centres in Shanghai, China, and Gothenburg, Sweden. Together, these locations form a network of innovation centres that drive Volvo’s global innovation initiatives. 

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Under the skin: Why cars will become more like smartphones

One of the latest buzz phrases in the car industry is ‘the software-defined car’. While some may not like the sound of it, there are already complaints on social media about buggy car software.

However, cars have been using specialised computers, known as electronic control units (ECUs), since the late 1970s. These ECUs are essentially boxes of hardware running computer code to control various functions in the car.

The first major use of ECUs in cars was to control engines, which greatly improved efficiency and power. Over time, ECUs found their way into other systems such as ABS, lighting, stability control, and transmission controls. Modern cars are filled with ECUs, with some vehicles having nearly 100 of them.

An advantage of using multiple ECUs was reducing the amount of wiring needed, which made cars more complex. Instead of individually wiring each electrical device and its associated components, the introduction of the controller area network (CAN) allowed each ECU to control its own group of equipment using only a few signal wires.

However, with the increasing complexity of cars, a more sophisticated solution is needed. This is where the concept of the software-defined car comes into play. For instance, Renault plans to update its cars throughout their lifetime using a centralised architecture, similar to how smartphones receive updates.

This shift involves going beyond using electronic components to operate car features and allowing them to evolve over time. Renault’s approach includes preventative maintenance, personalisation of interior features, battery charge management, infotainment, and more.

This transition also brings about a significant physical change. Instead of the 60-80 ECUs found in Renault’s cars today, there will be a central computer with excess power and flexibility. This way, it can accommodate future upgrades and handle vast amounts of data.

Renault is collaborating with Qualcomm and Google to develop the CAR OS for this software-defined approach.

Renault is just one example, as the rest of the industry is also moving in this direction. ZF Friedrichshafen, a major supplier and innovator, has created Cubix control software to coordinate and control all chassis actuators directly, including brakes, steer-by-wire, and suspension systems.