Accelerating innovation, Continental partners with Amazon Web Services to introduce the Virtual ECU Creator software, shaping the future of automotive software development and bridging the gap between hardware and software design.
Continental and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are jointly advancing the realm of automotive software development. A significant stride has been taken by Continental, expanding its array of tools for automotive software development with the forthcoming virtual ECU Creator software (vECU Creator).
This innovation empowers developers from vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, and third-party entities to configure and execute virtual cloud-based electronic control units (ECUs) within their specific developmental environments. This facilitates the creation of code tailored for micro-controller and processor hardware that is yet to materialise.
Embedded within the Continental Automotive Edge (CAEdge) framework, the vECU Creator operates on the AWS platform. This synergy of cloud-based vECUs enables Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to expedite the creation of novel applications or software features for software-defined vehicles (SDVs).
The virtual ECU Creator amalgamates Continental's potent high-performance computers and Electronic Control Units with Elektrobit's tried-and-tested software for Classic and Adaptive AUTOSAR.
The virtual ECU Creator signifies a pivotal stride towards the future of automotive system development. By merging Continental's prowess in designing and manufacturing intricate automotive systems at scale with Elektrobit's market-ready automotive base software and middleware, this innovation paves the way for a more advanced system development paradigm in the automotive industry.
Automotive software developers can leverage the virtual ECU Creator to disentangle hardware and software deliberations. They can simulate digital feature performance on virtual replicas of hardware subsystems, continually release applications that personalise and enrich the driver's experience. This encompasses microcontroller-based ECUs, Zone Controllers, and High-Performance Computers.
Upon selecting the desired chipset and middleware, the virtual ECU is automatically set up based on the user's CAEdge preferences, enabling immediate coding. The virtual ECU Creator seamlessly integrates Elektrobit's Classic and Adaptive AUTOSAR product lines, facilitating a highly automated approach to software integration, component upgrades, and testing without requiring target hardware. Scalable and on-demand verification and validation of virtual ECUs reduce testing time, ultimately shortening the time-to-market.
Wendy Bauer, General Manager, Automotive and Manufacturing, AWS, underscores the transformative impact of offering Continental's vECU Creator on AWS and stresses how this collaboration revolutionises the automotive design process, overcoming the challenge of developing vehicle software in the absence of physical hardware.
