Personalizing the software-defined vehicle

The software-defined vehicle has arrived.

Now automakers and Tier 1 suppliers are weighing whether personalization and customization for consumers will turn out to be the industry’s Holy Grail. Technological changes and updates were once incremental but the cycle has accelerated from gradual modifications and ad hoc software additions to real-time upgrades.

“The car has evolved by bolting on new parts, add a feature that doesn’t necessarily integrate with anything else, that was a fixed function,” said Danny Shapiro, vice-president of automotive at Nvidia. He notes this is changing with the move to a software-defined car: “It’s about bringing high-performance computing into the vehicle and planning for the future, to run applications that haven’t been envisioned yet, with over-the-air updates to run them.”

Nvidia and other suppliers are working with carmakers on future proofing vehicles by bringing greater computer power on board designed to eventually run applications that haven’t even been created. The company’s Nvidia Drive Orin platform aims to operate as the software-defined vehicle’s brain. It powers computing functions including a visualization of autonomous driving functions, digital clusters, infotainment, and passenger interaction AI.

Shapiro says that software-based platforms such as Nvidia’s will offer versatile, AI assistance for drivers and passengers. These on-board assistants will learn schedules, routes, and other external facts but will also “know” who is in the car, what their preferences are for climate and entertainment, and be able to converse with occupants, not simply answer with canned responses.

Are you experienced?

Automakers have long focused and traded on engineering prowess, design and luxury. In a recent report, McKinsey wrote: “These qualities still matter to today’s consumers but they are table stakes. The new battleground is increasingly one where tech-enabled, data-rich, EV companies currently have the upper hand: customer experience superior driving performance and vehicle reliability.”

While boosting budgets to implement integrated tech platforms, the consultancy suggested auto manufacturers take an easy route to cut costs: complexity reduction. McKinsey noted one European premium brand had more than 100 different interior configurations compared to a US EV maker that offers just two configurations.

The report also advised carmakers to consider using docking stations for mobile devices.

To read the complete article, visit TU-Automotive.