Key Competence Software: Continental Technology turns the Car into a Mobile Device on Wheels
TechShow Around the World 2021
- High-performance computing and cloud connectivity: Software dominates vehicle development
- Digital technologies for new driving functions, more comfort, and more safety
- Continental is already playing a leading role in software and system development
Frankfurt, Germany, October 2021. The extent of the digital transformation, which is currently fundamentally changing the automobile, can best be illustrated with one figure: 90 percent of the current innovations in the automotive industry come from the software sector. Continental recognized this early on and is driving this trend forward as one of the leading companies in automotive software and system development. At the TechShow, the software dominance in current and future vehicles can be seen. One example is the Body High Performance Computer, which has gone into series production as an In-Car Application Server for Volkswagen's ID series. In 2021 and 2022 alone, domain-specific high-performance computers from Continental will be on the road in more than 20 other vehicle models from various manufacturers. The next generation of vehicle computers is already ready to go: These are server-based computer architectures that enable seamless and secure cloud connectivity of vehicles through the so-called Continental Automotive Edge Framework. "With the Continental Automotive Edge Framework, we are focusing on a consistent connection of vehicle functions and services to the cloud, including an integrated development environment," says Michael Hülsewies, Head of Architecture & Software at Continental. “This makes it convenient for users to obtain the desired functions through software updates over the entire service life of the vehicle," says Michael Hülsewies, Head of Architecture & Software at Continental.
One supercomputer and 17,000 software and IT specialists
In the future, it will be crucial to be able to quickly offer the right technology with the suitable software on the market. Continental already has the capacities, know-how and technological tools to make this competition successful. Continental employs around 17,000 software and IT experts who are playing a key role in the transition to new vehicles with central high-performance computers. In the innovative "In-Car Application Server 1 (ICAS1)" project for Volkswagen's ID series alone, they met more than 70,000 customer requirements and integrated software from a total of 19 other companies. In addition, at the end of 2018, Continental rolled out the Continental Software Academy worldwide in order to develop and expand the software skills of its employees that are required for our future technological developments. More than 13,000 employees continue their education in the Software Academy and over 120,000 employees have access to this worldwide learning platform. Part of Continental's software expertise is also the investment in its own supercomputer for artificial intelligence (AI). The high-performance computer is the fastest in the industry and uses AI to improve driver assistance systems, make mobility smarter and safer, and accelerate the development of autonomous driving systems.
Another key aspect of Continental's strong position in the field of software and systems is its cooperation with selected partners. This spring, for example, a long-term development cooperation with Amazon Web Services (AWS) began. Together, the two partners will drive forward the development of the Continental Automotive Edge Framework. The aim is not only the secure connectivity of the vehicle with the cloud, but also to provide development tools for future software, sensor technology and big data solutions, which will lead to a significant acceleration of series developments. In the future, new vehicle software can be developed quickly and safely, tested, and installed on the high-performance computers in the vehicles via over-the-air updates. The new platform is already being tested in the series development of a car manufacturer and is expected to be available to other customers from the end of this year. Further modules of the Continental Automotive Edge Framework will be presented slightly later, in January 2022, at the CES.
Innovative software as a prerequisite for highly automatic driving functions
Experts agree that the vehicle of the future will essentially be defined by intelligent and innovative software. This also includes reducing the complexity of the systems despite ever larger and more complex programs. Only then will the automobile actually become a mobile device, i.e., a data center on wheels. The goal: It can be configured individually just as easily as a smartphone, and new apps, safety or driving functions are available for download at any time. In addition, these digital capabilities of modern vehicles will form the basis for highly automated driving, further increasing the comfort, efficiency and safety of future vehicles.
Ilona Tzudnowski
Media Spokesperson and Topic Manager Software and Central Technologies
Continental Automotive