 | Home > Off Topic > Bosch-Several Billion € Of Orders For In-Vehicle computers |
 
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| Supacat Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 11018   
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Glad to see someone is working on the 85 ECU nonsense...
 Click image to enlarge Bosch is currently developing vehicle computers for all possible automotive applications and their goal is to ultimately reduce the complexity of electronic systems. The German tech giant has already received several billion euros worth of orders for its computers – 2.5 billion euros since last summer alone. Aside from controlling functions such as driver assistance systems, it will unveil central computers for cockpit functions and body electronics. “Vehicle computers have huge business potential for Bosch. Even now, our high-performance computers mean that automakers view us as one of their leading engineering and technology partners,” stated board member Harald Kroeger. The market for these systems is said to be worth about 20 billion euros, and could grow by 15 percent annually between now and 2030. In order to meet demand, Bosch’s new Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division, which will handle all the hardware and software engineering for vehicle computers, sensors and control units, will start operations in January 2021. With Bosch developing computers for cockpit and connectivity functions, driver assistance and automated driving, as well as powertrain and body electronics, it will look to concentrate control over all central vehicle functions using just a handful of high-performance central computers. One example is the information domain computer currently under development which will assume the tasks done by as many as 10 control units. Right now, some vehicles boast more than 100 control units in total, and such developments will help greatly reduce that number. Of course, less units also means less wiring, and thus fewer costs and less weight. “Bosch vehicle computers will make it possible to master even highly complex driving functions across individual vehicle domains,” says Dr Mathias Pilin, who will take over the new Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division next month. https://www.carscoops.com/2020/12/bosch-la...computers/ |
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23rd Dec 2020 1:07pm |
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| macfrank Member Since: 05 Nov 2015 Location: somewhere in the north Posts: 1094  
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Well, the "85 ECU" architecture is nonsense, indeed. However it's not Bosch's idea to takle this.
A new ECU architecture was created several years ago, where you only have two or three "high-performance" ECUs, doing the major computational work. One for "basic" functions, one for infotainment etc. and one for driver assistance / autonomous driving functions. Major suppliers for these "in-car application servers" (ICAS) include Continental and LG https://www.continental-automotive.com/en-...e-Computer https://www.volkswagen-newsroom.com/en/pre...tform-1521 This new architecture is now in VW's ID.3, for example. Hm, wait, didn't they have serious problems getting it to work? erm, yes...  https://www.electrive.com/2020/03/26/volks...re-issues/
Just because you reduce the number of physical boxes doesn't mean you reduce overall system complexity 
It's about the number and complexity of functions, how you modularize them in software, how these "software boxes" interact and - most importantly - how easy it is for engineers to develop on a given platform. They thought, having fewer hardware ECUs would simplify things, but they were wrong. Because many top-level managers don't understand software. Several years ago, a new version of the car software standard "AUTOSAR" was initiated (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AUTOSAR#Adaptive_Platform) to have something that can run on those new ICASs and other similar hardware platforms. Long story short: too little time, too many people involved, too complex. Volkswagen and other OEMs are now thinking about developing their own car "operating system" https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/volk...t-software Well, we'll see... |
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27th Dec 2020 8:19pm |
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| Supacat Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 11018
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I don't see anything in the linked articles that support that conclusion. VW issues were quoted as being down to being too hasty and not having enough of the real expertise required. Success in any great endeavour is usually after a great many failures along the way. |
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28th Dec 2020 8:10am |
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| macfrank Member Since: 05 Nov 2015 Location: somewhere in the north Posts: 1094
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I can't disclose details of what I know about this topic
 Bottom line is that the complexity is in software and people and that it's secondary on how many ECUs in a car this software is distributed.
"VW issues were quoted as being down to being too hasty and not having enough of the real expertise required." Exactly. That's a point I tried to make: management imposes timelines that can't possibly be met (-> haste), combined with new platforms and processes (-> lack of expertise). "Success in any great endeavour is usually after a great many failures along the way." Indeed. The question is when do you fail. In (software) engineering we have a "guideline": "fail often, fail early". It is of course possible to engineer completely new hardware and software platforms. But people (developers) need time to learn and to fail (as early as possible). Tools and processes need to be adapted or developed from scratch. Function prototypes need to be developed and tested and the new platforms need to be adjusted and extended based on failing prototypes. We know how to do that for at least 20 years. But when management thinks they know better... There's a saying which is rather old (45 years?) and you would think every project manager would know it by now: "adding manpower to a late project makes it later". Still happens... |
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28th Dec 2020 3:44pm |
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