By Junko Yoshida

What’s at stake:
Renesas and NXP are rolling out software-defined vehicle development platforms. A platform encompassing hardware, software and cloud-based tools is a huge advancement compared to past offerings to the automotive industry. But no one dares to promise their effectiveness in a real world where OEMs design SDVs with hardware and software from multiple vendors.

To serve the plans of OEMs designing software-defined vehicles (SDVs), Renesas has unveiled an SDV development platform called “ROX” (R-Car Open Access),” boasting that it integrates “all essential hardware, operating systems (OS), software and tools” automakers need to rapidly develop next-generation vehicles “with secure and continuous software updates,” said Renesas.

Similarly, NXP Semiconductors announced earlier this year “CoreRide” designed to address the complexity, scalability and costs carmakers face as they transition their creaky E/E architecture to newer software-defined vehicle architectures.

This initiative by the two leading automotive chip suppliers illustrates their urgent perception that they must minimize the impact of the software crisis facing many car OEMs.

Read More »Chip Vendors Boost SDV Software. Is It Enough?

By Junko Yoshida

What’s at stake:
Why are incumbent automakers flocking to China? Gaining a share in China – now the world’s largest automotive market – is an obvious reason. But there’s another, bigger reason. They want Chinese partners.

Auto OEMs in the West know they need the nimbleness and daring necessary to build cars at a 12-18-month design cycle, faster than the current cycle of several years.

In short, they want to copy China.

Read More »Western Car OEMs’ New Motto: ‘Copy China’