How can vehicles be updated quickly and reliably?

Just like any other type of electronic equipment, modern vehicles have to be regularly updated to the latest version using software updates. The benefit for end customers is that these updates make new functions available for their vehicles. However, this usually involves a time-consuming visit to the workshop.

This problem can be alleviated by relying on SOTA (software over the air) technology.

Challenge

Complexity and processing power

Each vehicle incorporates different control units from a variety of suppliers. These are all subject to different security requirements. Not only that, but the individual components conform to different standards according to how old they are. The resulting vehicle architecture is complex, calling for flexible updates that have to be as compact as possible. And that is because the more data there is, the greater the processing power that needs to be available within the vehicle. In turn, the processing power of the control units is a major cost driver in vehicle development and production. More processing power equals higher costs.

Solution

Remote updates

To enable smooth installation of remote updates, the diagnostic core and update scripts have to be appropriately designed.

The ultra slim AVL DiTEST diagnostic core minimises the amount of processing power required and can be run by vehicle manufacturers on existing control units.
The updates are also structured accordingly so that the extensive and encrypted features fit inside small update packages. For instance, the flexible and intelligent scripts query the state of the vehicle beforehand to select the correct time for triggering the update.

This provides benefits for both parties:

The vehicle manufacturer saves on processing power costs while at the same time ensuring security and data quality. They can also roll out new features into the field in a flexible way. And end customers no longer have to visit the workshop because their vehicles are always fully up to date. As a result, they get to enjoy all the benefits and new functions straight away.