How Does AES Warrant Advanced Connectivity Features?

Automotive engineering services (AES) serve as software integrators to keep up with the ever-increasing need for innovation.

FREMONT, CA: For original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), leveraging software and technology service providers to support vehicle manufacturing has been a long and winding road. The number of ECUs (electronic control units) in cars has exploded in the last 10 to 15 years. We used to have basic IVI (in-vehicle infotainment), echo and noise cancellation, and possibly rear-seat entertainment. Digital cockpits, over-the-air updates, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) capabilities, electrification, connection, 5G—the list goes on and on. The promise of a connected vehicle is now, and those in the automotive ecosystem who can adapt and scale will remain relevant for many years.

According to one analysis, the software and integration market is worth more than 30 billion dollars, but it will rise more than threefold in the next ten years. Changing operating system and middleware as the automobile and ecosystems surrounding it are rearchitected, digital cockpit and ADAS capabilities improve, telematics includes 5G and other new features, and data becomes the fuel that binds it all together will be the major drivers to this growth.

Consumers have higher expectations for connectivity as the world around them becomes increasingly connected, and they look for digital experiences that connect all parts of their everyday life. The worth of a vehicle is shifting from RPM (revolutions per minute) to EPM (experiences per mile), making it necessary for automakers to give consumers improved in-cabin experiences to increase the vehicle's value. That is to say, they must communicate on a human level. As a result, both suppliers and OEMs must put customer expectations at the forefront of product development.

AES serve as software integrators to keep up with the ever-increasing need for innovation. In this era of rapid change, agile firms may prosper. Several businesses can assist them in remaining relevant by utilizing their human knowledge to create new opportunity spaces for innovation and assisting OEMs in considering who the customer is, what they want, and designing a vehicle to meet those needs. OEMs must develop quickly to achieve this. To avoid turmoil, OEMs, suppliers, and software integrators will need to work together more closely amid the impending wave of software complexity.

AES offers three distinct values adds in this area: expertise, agility, and cost advantage. It can give drivers and passengers a sense of success by tying everything back to the end-user. Today's average car owner is frustrated by parking, accidents, signal loss, and the inability to connect with the technology inside the car in the same way that they do with their phone or smart home. To overcome these issues, one must first dive deeper and gain a greater understanding of the user. It is critical to figure out who they are, what they care about, and how the car can fulfill those objectives. Only then will one be able to motivate them to achieve their goals and improve their experiences per mile.