Connected Car & SDV News: Geotab, Ansys, RuggOn, VDA QMC, Cipia, Thoughtworks & MIPI Alliance

In connected car and software-defined vehicle news are Geotab, Ansys, RuggOn, VDA QMC, Cipia, Thoughtworks adn MIPI Alliance.

Geotab Partners with Charleston County SC

Geotab Inc. (“Geotab”), a global leader in connected vehicle and asset management solutions, announced a partnership with Charleston County, South Carolina. This collaboration aims to leverage telematics data to help the county transform traffic management, optimize fuel tax rebates, and enhance safety and emergency response times, setting a new standard for public sector fleet management.

“Telematics data enhances fleet management. By monitoring and analyzing real-time data from fleet vehicles, our technology can help Charleston County implement data-driven strategies that benefit fleet operations and the broader community,” said Neil Garrett, AVP Public Sector at Geotab.

Charleston County will utilize Geotab’s telematics data to analyze real-time traffic patterns. By implementing data-driven strategies, the county plans to optimize routes, help reduce gridlock, shorten travel times, and improve overall traffic flow. These measures aim to benefit fleet operations and help alleviate city-wide traffic congestion, making commutes smoother for residents.

In addition, Power Take-Off (“PTO”) systems are essential for many Charleston County Public Works vehicles, allowing them to power auxiliary equipment such as cranes, spreaders, and hydraulic systems. By accurately measuring and analyzing PTO data through Geotab’s system, the Public Works fleet manager can optimize vehicle usage and enhance overall performance, increasing efficiency and cost savings.

Other benefits include access to analytics such as fuel consumption and vehicle mileage, which can help Charleston County optimize fleet efficiency and reduce operational costs. The data provides valuable insights that help in planning and decision-making, ensuring that the county meets its sustainability goals and improves service delivery to the community.

“Charleston County has forward-thinking, data-driven fleet managers who constantly look for ways to improve their service to the county. It is exciting to work with a group that turns to data insights to address challenges and meet goals,” said Garrett.

Ansys STK Listed on AWS Marketplace

Ansys (NASDAQ: ANSS) a global leader in engineering simulation software solutions announced that it is listing Ansys STK^™in the AWS Marketplace for the US Intelligence Community (ICMP). ICMP is a curated digital catalog from Amazon Web Services (AWS) that makes it easy to discover, purchase, and deploy software packages and applications.

Ansys’ offerings include a broad array of common software infrastructure, developer tools, and business software products, with the categories of products and vendors growing over time. Ansys STK is designed to empower customers to model, analyze, visualize, and simulate high-fidelity satellites, spacecraft, and other critical aerospace and defense systems within their operational environments.

“Our customers face incredible challenges completing projects on time and within budget — one substantial hurdle is ensuring a distributed team can seamlessly access the same resources,” said Kevin Flood, vice president of digital mission engineering at Ansys. “Ansys now offers the gold standard in digital mission engineering simulation solutions on ICMP. This seamless accessibility eases pain points around navigating approval processes and file sharing, allowing users to harness the power of STK from any device, anywhere.”

With STK, engineers can model complex systems inside a realistic, simulated 3D environment that includes high-resolution terrain, imagery, radio frequency, and more. It enables users to simulate entire system-of-systems in action and gain a clear understanding of behavior and mission performance.

VDA QMC Automotive SPICE Standard

The development processes of software are crucial for its quality, efficiency and safety. The VDA QMC has developed the Automotive SPICE® standard for this purpose. One of the most important goals of Automotive SPICE® is the establishment of systematic processes and their continuous improvement. In particular, the ever shorter development cycles, combined with increasing requirements for reliability, make it essential to monitor and improve the processes in software-based system development. As the vehicle becomes increasingly digitalized and connected to the surrounding infrastructure, avoiding systematic errors is essential.

Back in 2006, the VDA set the course for quality assurance of software-based systems in and around the vehicle with its recommendation to use the Automotive SPICE® evaluation model. Automotive SPICE® has now become an integral part of the development of digitalized mobility worldwide.

In addition to the efficiency and safety of electronic components, the focus is primarily on software. Interaction with driver assistance and comfort functions is also becoming increasingly important. For German automobile manufacturers and suppliers, one thing is clear: compliance with the state of the art in all development steps of automotive software is essential for its quality.

Quality for machine learning and cybersecurity – right from the start
The holistic concept for the quality of products in the automotive industry is IATF 16949 with a comprehensive quality management system that covers all aspects of the automotive industry. The review of the quality of software development processes is specifically referenced in this.

Automotive SPICE® starts in the supply chain and is intended to accompany development throughout the entire product life cycle. The focus is on both classic software and electronics development, but also on topics such as securing data-based functionalities, machine learning or aspects of cybersecurity.

Current focus: Software updates after vehicle delivery
The standard is constantly being developed further by the responsible VDA expert committee and adapted to the needs of the automotive industry. Priority is currently given to issues relating to the continuous maintenance and updating of software after the vehicle has been delivered to the customer. This work is carried out within the framework of an international network of experienced experts from the automotive industry.

There are currently around 7,200 people worldwide who are certified as VDA QMC assessors and are directly involved in the implementation of the standard. This widespread use in more than 50 countries shows that many companies have followed the VDA’s recommendation and have anchored Automotive SPICE® in their process landscape and supply chain. The Chinese automotive industry in particular, with currently around 1,400 assessors, relies on Automotive SPICE® – and the trend is rising.

The automotive industry needs reliability and planning security. This is particularly true of the standardization landscape surrounding the development of vehicle-related software. An internationally established framework consisting of a quality management system, international norms and industry-specific standards provides the prerequisite for meeting the diverse challenges in the future with safety and high efficiency.

Anchored in the internationally recognized quality management system IATF 16949 and embedded in a series of technical and vehicle-related ISO standards, Automotive SPICE® is the world’s leading standard for safeguarding digitalized mobility.

The holistic concept for the quality of products in the automotive industry is IATF 16949 with a comprehensive quality management system that covers all aspects of the automotive industry. The review of the quality of software development processes is specifically referenced in this.

The standard is constantly being developed further by the responsible VDA expert committee and adapted to the needs of the automotive industry. Priority is currently given to issues relating to the continuous maintenance and updating of software after the vehicle has been delivered to the customer. This work is carried out within the framework of an international network of experienced experts from the automotive industry.

RuggON VMC

RuggON, a leading manufacturer of rugged computing solutions for harsh environments (part of Ubiqconn Technology, Inc.) introduced the Iridium Connected™ VORTEX, a powerful ruggedized Vehicle-Mounted Computer (VMC) that provides truly global, reliable connectivity. With its special antenna and built-in satellite-communications module, the Vortex offers extreme connectivity (two-way data and message exchange) in extremely remote areas that are not covered by terrestrial signals like 5G and Wi-Fi.

The Vortex is a compact, all-in-one VMC (with a 7″ screen) that is not only ruggedized for shocks and bad weather, but also fits snugly on the dashboard of any vehicle – for increased survivability in the worst kind of weather. The fact that the whole all-in-one system is only seven inches wide and fits on a vehicle’s dashboard, makes it perfect for providing powerful computing (13th Gen Intel^® Core™ i5) and satcom connectivity to vehicle crews who have to operate in extremely remote areas and very bad weather.

RuggON’s rugged Iridium Connected Vortex VMC will be on display at RuggON’s trade-show booths over the coming months – including at MINExpo (Las Vegas, 24-26 September) and IMARC (Sydney 29-31 October).

With its powerful processing and extreme connectivity, this rugged VMC is ideal for demanding industries like mining, maritime, aviation, government, industrials, energy (oil and gas), transportation, agriculture, exploration, etc. It is also an ideal solution for any scientist or explorer who wants a powerful VMC that can keep them connected when they venture out to the most remote corners of the planet, far beyond the reach of 5G towers.

“RuggON is proud to bring such a unique and versatile VMC to the market. If our users move out of range of 5G and WiFi services, they can still connect via Iridium’s global satellite network, which covers every corner of the planet, including the North and South Poles,” said Sean Lee, vice president of RuggON. “On top of that, the Vortex is ruggedized to withstand extreme temperatures, dust, rain, shocks, vibration, and more. It really offers extreme connectivity in extreme environments.”

RuggON’s Iridium Connected Vortex VMC – Overview:

The Vortex is a ruggedized VMC that is designed to thrive in extreme environments – for industries like Mining, Maritime, Aviation, Government, Industrials, Energy (Oil and Gas), Transportation, Agriculture, etc.

CPU:	13th Gen Intel^® Core™ i5
OS:	Windows 11
RAM:	DDR5 up to 32G
Storage:	Up to 256G
Display:	7″ TFT LCD WSVGA (1024 x 600), 500 nits brightness
Communications:	LEO (satcom), 5G / 4G/LTE, WiFi 7, GNSS, BT5.4, NFC
I / O:	RS232, USB2 Type C, CAN Bus, Ethernet, DI/DO
Durability:	IP65, MIL-STD-810H
Temp. Range:	-30°C to 55°C

Cipia Driver Sense in Tier 1 Luxury Sports Car OEM

Cipia (TASE: CPIA), an AI computer vision in-cabin automotive solutions provider, today announced that its Driver Sense, driver monitoring system (DMS), has been selected by a global Tier 1 for a world-leading European luxury sports car OEM. Driver Sense will be integrated into a model to be manufactured in Europe. Cipia’s DMS will run on a Samsung Exynos SoC and Start of Production (SOP) is expected during 2026. This is the first design win for Cipia with this OEM.

Yehuda Holtzman, CEO of Cipia, said, “After a strong year of expansion, there are more and more vehicles on the road with Cipia’s in-cabin sensing solutions, from family cars to commercial vehicles to luxury sports cars. I’m delighted that another European OEM will be using Cipia’s DMS to build safer cars at the highest end of the market”.

Cipia now holds 67 design wins across 11 car manufacturers in the US, Europe and China.

Thoughtworks SDV Pulse

-Thoughtworks (NASDAQ: TWKS), a global technology consultancy that integrates strategy, design and engineering, announced the launch of Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Pulse, an inaugural annual report informed by Thoughtworks’ and AWS’ observations, conversations and front-line experiences helping their global clients in the automotive industry transition to SDV.

With software deeply embedded in modern vehicles enabling capabilities in everything from passenger infotainment to autonomous driving, the report compiles the most relevant technologies, practice and other key trends for auto manufacturers and suppliers to consider for their SDV strategy.

The SDV Pulse report has forty insights, each represented as a “pulse point”, that reflects a technology, practice or trend. Thoughtworks and AWS experts have also identified an adoption stage for where each pulse point currently stands. Broadly, these stages are “concept phase” for pulse points that are emerging yet their potential remains largely unproven; “early adoptions” for pulse points that represent a significant differentiation opportunity for potential early adopters; and “mass adoption” for pulse points that are becoming widespread across the industry so the window to translate them into differentiated value is closing.

“The relationship between the automotive industry and software engineering is, to say the least, complex. One thing everyone agrees on is that this relationship is inescapable. To remain competitive and future-proof, everyone needs to understand the challenges, but also the immense opportunities,” said Michael Fait, global head technology for SDV, Thoughtworks.

Highlighted themes in the inaugural SDV Pulse include:

In-vehicle zero-trust architecture (ZTA) (concept phase): ZTA, with its fundamental principle of assuming no inherent trust, offers a robust defense mechanism against cybersecurity risks.
Continuous compliance (concept phase): Organizations can automate compliance checks and audits and integrate tools into software development pipelines, allowing teams to detect and address compliance issues early in the development process.
Developer portals for vehicle APIs (early adoption phase): Multiple OEMs now offer portals to help developers build applications using vehicle APIs. We see these developer portals as a key enabler of SDV ecosystem growth.
Rust (early adoption phase): Rust is a modern alternative to C++ for embedded automotive development that will improve safety and productivity. The source code and qualification documents are open-sourced which is a fundamental step towards using Rust in functional safety-relevant cases.
Automotive grade Linux (AGL) (mass adoption phase): Initially started as a platform for building infotainment systems, AGL is the only project organization that addresses all software in a vehicle. It has now reached a level of maturity where several major automotive manufacturers are adopting it for their production vehicles.
Hardware accelerators in the cloud (mass adoption phase): Automotive companies send and store petabytes of sensor data in the cloud — a process that can be both time-consuming and expensive. Accessing hardware accelerators in the cloud helps enable OEMs to mitigate the challenge of hardware accelerators that are growing scarce and expensive.

“AWS works backwards with customers to address business challenges, and leveraging our collective expertise, AWS and Thoughtworks are helping the industry transition to a software-defined future,” said Stefano Marzani, Worldwide Technology Lead, SDV at AWS. “Through increased development in the cloud, companies across the automotive landscape can take advantage of technologies like AI, ML and now generative AI to turn data into insights that will inform the functions and features of tomorrow.”

Thoughtworks helps organizations modernize their infrastructure, capabilities and practices in the transition to SDV leveraging the broad and deep portfolio of AWS cloud services. Visit thoughtworks.com/insights/business to stay up to date with the latest business and industry insights for digital leaders.

MIPI Alliance MIPI SDCA v1.0.

The MIPI Alliance, an international organization that develops interface specifications for mobile and mobile-influenced industries, announced the release of MIPI SoundWire Device Class for Audio (MIPI SDCA) v1.0. The new specification enables standardized mechanisms to interact with host-controllable audio devices, such as microphones and amplifiers, connected via a MIPI SoundWire interface. MIPI SDCA, which leverages the MIPI Discovery and Configuration Specification for SoundWire (MIPI DisCo Specification for SoundWire), simplifies audio software architecture and driver requirements, significantly optimizing the integration of audio devices into host platforms.

Integration of “smart” host-controllable audio devices within “open” host platforms such as laptops and tablets is typically challenging and cumbersome; different devices often lack consistency in the basic functionality they provide, how they are controlled by the host, and how they enable discovery of features. To address these challenges, MIPI SCDA defines a standard MIPI SoundWire device class for host-controllable audio devices. The specification provides a standard framework for system software and native OS drivers to determine the function of SDCA-enabled SoundWire audio devices, the properties of their control interfaces (addressing, access mode, access layer, deferred access and interrupts), and reset properties.

Utilizing MIPI SDCA within both host and peripheral audio devices enables the development and use of system firmware and generic device class drivers, rendering software reusable across multiple audio devices from multiple vendors. In conjunction with the introduction of the new MIPI specification, audio device capabilities can be seamlessly reported to the host via the framework defined in MIPI DisCo Specification for SoundWire, enabling native operating system (OS) and driver support, improved management of power consumption and enablement of advanced audio features.

Both MIPI SDCA Version 1.0 and MIPI DisCo Specification for SoundWire, which has recently been updated to Version 2.1, are available for download.

“SDCA defines a standard SoundWire device class, enabling system designers to develop generic class drivers for audio devices conforming to that class. This significantly simplifies and streamlines platform development,” said Sanjiv Desai, chair of MIPI Alliance. “By standardizing essential audio device features, control and discovery mechanisms, enabling native OS support and eliminating the need for bespoke drivers and software, SDCA allows audio components from different vendors to be cost-effectively integrated to differentiate host-platform capabilities for varied use cases and customer desires.”

Development of SDCA included participants from all aspects of the audio ecosystem, including OS vendors, system-on-chip (SoC) vendors, hardware and software intellectual property (IP) suppliers, and hardware vendors. MIPI Software Working Group members participating in the specification’s development include Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.; Analog Devices, Inc.; Cirrus Logic; Dell Technologies; Everest Semiconductor Co., Ltd.; Intel Corporation; Microsoft Corporation; onsemi; Qualcomm Incorporated; Realtek Semiconductor Corp.; Texas Instruments Incorporated; and others.