Overcome the complexity of computing platforms and develop complete systems

The design and manufacture of NEVs and software-defined vehicles is complex and requires powerful, affordable, and scalable computing platforms. With electric vehicles set to account for 60% of global new car sales by 2030 and the automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market expected to grow to about $150 billion by 2028, the computing platform is urgently needed.

To realize the full potential of software-defined cars, we must buffer their inevitable expansion while optimizing computing power. When developing computers, we must take into account cost effectiveness, power consumption and load to improve energy efficiency. In the future, we may even have to consider the upgradability of computing hardware. In order to meet these needs, we need to establish new and close partnerships with semiconductor development companies to explore the right solutions to avoid overpriced chips that are not optimized for the purpose.

IC670MDL730

Although automakers are not involved in every step of the software programming, the functionality of the software determines the brand experience of an automotive product. This means that partners in the industry ecosystem must be adaptable and ready to provide comprehensive and professional services to automotive companies. If an automaker wants to design a particular piece of hardware, we have to make sure it’s manufacturable. At the same time, we must be ready to produce turnkey solutions that integrate hardware and software so that automotive manufacturers (Oems) can outsource mainstream systems such as DC/DC converters and on-board chargers that are critical for EVs.

Flextronics’ automotive computing platform, developed in partnership with Nvidia, makes the path to ADAS and autonomous driving more feasible, providing an industry example of how the next generation ecosystem can drive innovation. During the project design process, we invited different car manufacturers to jointly invest in the development. Although these automakers know they are part of a team, the identities of their peers are not disclosed, allowing for a truly open collaboration. The concentrated investment of these automakers is able to finance development, and their feedback speeds up the validation of solutions. This innovative partnership model helps automakers remove investment barriers, speed time to market, and reduce production costs without sacrificing safety and quality.