Open Software the Only Way Forward for the Automotive Industry
While the automotive industry continues to look for solutions that can close the gap with the much shorter design and replacement cycles of the consumer electronics and wireless industries, car drivers are increasingly adopting mobile consumer devices such as PNDs and phone-based software applications.
“With software continuing to become an ever-larger part of embedded automotive systems, that’s where solutions can be found”, says ABI Research Director Dominique Bonte. “Open software will allow OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to design platforms which can be easily customized and updated, improving performance and extending product life”.
While Microsoft’s Windows Automotive and Microsoft Auto open development platforms have revolutionized the implementation of Fiat’s Blue & Me and Ford’s Sync, embedded automotive software market leader QNX has taken this one step further by open sourcing its operating system in order to unlock development resources across the ecosystem.
However, the automotive future will be hybrid. While embedded telematics will the only realistic option for critical safety functions and high quality infotainment, mobile devices owned by drivers will continue to interact with the car environment, making the development of standardized interfaces a key objective for the automotive industry.
“With software continuing to become an ever-larger part of embedded automotive systems, that’s where solutions can be found”, says ABI Research Director Dominique Bonte. “Open software will allow OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to design platforms which can be easily customized and updated, improving performance and extending product life”.
While Microsoft’s Windows Automotive and Microsoft Auto open development platforms have revolutionized the implementation of Fiat’s Blue & Me and Ford’s Sync, embedded automotive software market leader QNX has taken this one step further by open sourcing its operating system in order to unlock development resources across the ecosystem.
However, the automotive future will be hybrid. While embedded telematics will the only realistic option for critical safety functions and high quality infotainment, mobile devices owned by drivers will continue to interact with the car environment, making the development of standardized interfaces a key objective for the automotive industry.
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"embebbed telematics" this will bring needed acceptance among users. It will also force current providers to re-think their approach of "proprietary" equipment.
ReplyDeleteI for one see the day when licensing with be the kick-start. Web based solution providers will take the lead.