In a bold move toward advancing the frontier of self-driving vehicle (SDV) technology, a consortium of major players spanning the automotive, supplier, and semiconductor industries, alongside esteemed research institutions, has forged an alliance under the stewardship of mobility technology leader AVL.
This concerted effort, under the moniker FEDERATE (short for the Chips JU Framework), represents a pioneering initiative orchestrated by the European Union. With partners hailing from seven different countries, including notable entities such as VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik, Infineon, and the esteemed Technical University of Munich, this collaborative endeavor aims to lay the groundwork for the seamless integration of software-defined vehicles.
At its core, the FEDERATE initiative seeks to establish the foundational software and hardware components indispensable for the operation of SDVs. Emphasizing the imperative of rapid integration of updates and novel functionalities, the consortium endeavors to streamline the development process.
Gereon Meyer, the esteemed head of European and international business development at VDI/VDE Innovation + Technic, underscores the significance of this initiative, noting, “With SDVs, the prospect of updating functions akin to smartphone apps, devoid of the necessity for physical hardware replacement, becomes a reality. However, achieving optimal safety, efficiency, and reliability mandates a synchronized approach. The FEDERATE project assumes a pivotal role in this regard.”
Over the ensuing years, the consortium will pivot its focus toward identifying, delineating, and conceptualizing the elemental building blocks indispensable for SDVs. Leveraging a collaborative ecosystem predicated on pre-competitive exchange of methodologies and tools, supplemented by open-source collaboration, the overarching objective is to truncate development timelines and mitigate associated costs.
Prominent figures involved in the initiative elucidate that the implementation of enhanced interfaces will expedite the assimilation of updates and novel features. Moreover, this approach promises to facilitate expedited access to cloud services for vehicles, thus fortifying efficiency and security across domains such as smart charging and e-banking.
Peter Priller, the esteemed principal technology scout at AVL, sheds light on the transformative potential of this initiative, remarking, “The innovative paradigm ushered in by this initiative paves the way for continuous enhancement of safety and comfort within vehicles through software updates and refinements. Notably, the integration of artificial intelligence directly into vehicles, sans relinquishing data sovereignty, represents a watershed moment in automotive innovation.”
As the automotive landscape evolves, propelled by groundbreaking collaborations such as FEDERATE, the trajectory of SDVs appears increasingly promising. With a steadfast commitment to innovation and collaboration at its helm, this consortium stands poised to chart new frontiers in automotive technology, ushering in an era characterized by unprecedented safety, efficiency, and sophistication in self-driving vehicles.
