The communications avalanche propelling today’s “connected” lifestyle has piled into the auto industry in a big way. With all of the recent advances in automotive technology, the concept of the car as a four-wheeled computer is finally becoming a reality. Scores more vehicles that are connected to the network via embedded cellular modules and mobile phones hit the road every day.

Auto manufacturers and drivers recognize that connecting vehicles to the network is a logical step forward, and are homing in on the multitude of potential opportunities. For example, at the Fully Networked Car Workshop held during this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, Ford Group Vice President of Global Product Development Derrick Kuzak said the company’s SYNC platform, a fully integrated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system, is already generating additional revenue per vehicle. A similar success story came from Greg Ross, GM’s Vice President of Business Extensions for OnStar, who reported that the company generated $1 billion in revenue from its OnStar system in 2010.

This opportunity, together with electric-vehicle (EV) initiatives, have car manufacturers implementing a new architecture in which powerful, general-purpose embedded computing devices replace dedicated electronic control units (ECUs). These more powerful devices help reduce on-board software, minimize hardware complexity, and reduce costs. Moreover, they enable more sophisticated in-vehicle services and applications that will ultimately turn the car into the “fifth screen” (after movies, TVs, PCs, and mobile devices). By doing so, manufacturers can fulfill the need for communication and information access on the road, and fully integrate the car into consumers’ connected lives.

Fig 1. This sample architecture of an IVI system features a mobile software-management-enabled mobile-virtualization solution.

The automotive industry will likely follow the mobile-phone industry in the sense that, once connected, the car—just like today’s smartphones—will become a platform for new content and services. Thus, two significant trends have emerged within the automotive industry: growth in the number of software-based features in vehicles, and the replacement of ECUs with more powerful, general-purpose, embedded computing devices via technologies such as mobile virtualization and mobile software management.

By applying a mobile software-management-enabled mobile-virtualization solution, automotive manufacturers are free to securely deploy real-time systems and advanced, entertainment-focused, high-level operating systems (HLOSs) on the same on-board computing device that handles traditional systems like climate control. Doing so will increase hardware utilization and streamline costs, giving carmakers a stronger platform to build valuable, ongoing relationships with their customers. And, as the industry is already proving, lucrative new software-driven business models exist for those dedicated to doing it right.

IVI: The Connected Car’s Core

The in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system brings together wireless connectivity, IP-communication infrastructure, middleware, and applications in a powerful, unified computing box. IVI opens up new opportunities for manufacturers to introduce a better user experience and innovative in-vehicle services, as well as address challenges associated with manageability and improve brand differentiation.

From the driver’s perspective, in-vehicle infotainment is the best way to enhance the driving experience while providing a safer driving environment. It does so by centralizing features such as GPS, climate control, and parking sensors with navigation, traffic reports, and online information, including weather, location-based services (LBS), and multimedia.

IVI also offers the opportunity to provide additional services and applications to consumers to fulfill the need for communication and information access on the road. As a result, manufacturers can create an additional source of revenue, while transforming the customer relationship typical of today—one that’s associated with issues such as repairs and, in the worst case, vehicle recalls.

In addition, IVI systems are transforming the traditional competitive parameters of the automobile industry, i.e., costs and vehicle performance. As the fully networked, computerized car increases the need for processing power to handle the various in-vehicle services, the same processing power can be used to manage systems that were once the province of dedicated ECUs (in the short term, the critical safety systems connected to the CAN bus will remain separate from the IVI subsystem).

Hardware utilization will dramatically improve if multiple systems can share computing power in a secure manner, which also reduces costs. Beyond cost reduction, module consolidation results in lower vehicle weight due to simplified wiring, along with corresponding design and manufacturing benefits.

The integration of various software systems onto the same central computing unit creates interesting opportunities to boost the performance of the car. For instance, the driver can obtain information regarding when it’s optimal to refuel, as well as receive real-time feedback about the effects of driving habits by integrating information from the engine control system with location-based services. This will save fuel and, perhaps, even lives.

Non-safety critical systems will be the first to move across in the short term. Eventually, the deeply embedded world and the IVI world will converge.