Why is software so useful in automotive?

What does the term “useful” mean? It refers to the things that are most important in terms of what we consider functional, bringing the highest value. And when we ask several people what is the most useful software in the automotive industry – we may get completely different answers, for example “safety”, “infotainment”, “comfort”. We will try to show you the automotive industry from many sides – so that you can choose the things that best fit your perception of the automotive industry! 

There are many types of software on board a car. Even in the 90’s, in cars with CAN bus on board you could find a lot of subsystems that determine whether you enjoy using the vehicle, how safe it is, and even how the air conditioning behaves. It’s all about the configuration of the car that was done – in those years at the factory (sometimes with limited “upgrade” capability). These days, updating a car’s on-board software is fabulously easy. As soon as the one has how to connect to the Internet – it is possible to make the update process. Sometimes new features appear then, or other features are improved. Therefore, in this article we will start from how useful is the software that guards… The update process. 

Today, it is even more difficult because updating the software in a car is a very sensitive point. One badly written line of code can determine whether or not the adaptive cruise control will work properly and whether or not we’ll get into someone’s trunk. You have to take into account many factors and make sure that the update process is always correct and does not cause errors. In addition, it is important to ensure that every update does not lead to possible problems that could put passengers and the driver at risk. 

Different modules are updated and this is a huge challenge for car manufacturers. IT companies that have always toiled over updates have better structured processes that are responsible for things like updates. With car manufacturers, on the other hand, it’s different: many companies have very young systems responsible for updates: both at the level of the car itself and the servers. Hence, this is a huge challenge – but at the same time an opportunity for many customers buying cars today. 

The promising future of software in the automotive industry

Nowadays, every vehicle contains a multitude of subsystems that determine various things. Of course, the most important is the safety of the driver and passengers. Hence, updates and their process must occur correctly – always. It’s a huge challenge for car manufacturers mainly because companies that have been providing programming for years – have their processes perfectly arranged in this regard. Companies in the automotive industry are just beginning to implement these processes. However, there has already been tremendous progress in this area. Today, thanks to car software development, the vehicle can be updated in the same way as it is done with other devices. All you have to do is connect to your home WiFi network or simply let the car run on its own – the on-board computer will make the necessary adjustments itself. 

Imagine how much easier this is for car manufacturers! In the past, a