As cars become more computers than vehicles, manufacturers need to add new skills to stay competitive.
“The software in a car has to be much more complex than the software in a plane or a boat,” says Peter Janevik, CEO of RISE’s AstaZero test facility. “Cars already contain a lot of advanced functionality, and this will increase by a factor of ten as vehicles become automated.”
Digitalisation is reshaping car design. What used to be dozens of separate systems, programmed by subcontractors, is now converging into centralised software, making systems far more complex and forcing carmakers to rethink their organisational structure.
“Today, almost every function in a car needs software to work. If the software doesn’t work, you can’t start testing the car. It’s like taking the brain out of a person,” says Peter.
The shift is also creating entirely new business models. Tesla, for example, charges a monthly subscription fee to unlock features. Not all manufacturers will keep up. “My prediction is that there will be a few big players with the biggest market share – many will not succeed,” Peter adds.
Few manufacturers have the resources for the extensive testing that automated vehicles require – and that’s where AstaZero and RISE come in. “With our expertise, we can act as an extension of their development departments,” says Peter.