Information technology, consulting and business process services supplier Wipro has launched its Cloud Car platform, which will bring together the company’s FullStride Cloud Services and engineering capabilities with an extensive partner ecosystem as well as consortiums. It says the platform will deliver auto makers an integrated, cloud-native software solution — equipped with an end-to-end cybersecurity system — to help it innovate faster at a lower cost and keep software-defined vehicles (SDVs) digitally relevant for years.
“Today, most SDVs come with pre-set features that are difficult and time-consuming to upgrade, rendering them outdated as new technologies come to market,” said Thomas Mueller, CTO, engineering and R&D services, Wipro. “Our goal is to make it possible for automobile manufacturers to deliver vehicles that get better every day, so both they and generations of owners can drive better return on investments.”
The company states that the platform will decouple previously integrated software and hardware, enabling manufacturers to validate and upgrade software at scale, meaning vehicle systems should be kept current for longer. Furthermore, manufacturers will be able to address software failures via over-the-air updates, without having to resort to physical recalls. The ‘always-on,’ ‘feature-on-demand’ functionality will come with a robust cyber security and functional safety architecture and will help increase vehicles’ residual value.
“By 2030, the vast majority of new vehicles will be SDVs,” added Mueller. “These cars will connect in real time with the world around them. They will leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to constantly gather data, provide valuable information and, eventually, make autonomous decisions. Unlocking the true potential of SDVs will require moving them to the cloud. We are fast forwarding to that future by making the Cloud Car ecosystem available to every automotive company in the world today.”
Wipro notes that the platform will also leverage a ‘shadow mode’ architecture, working passively in the background, gathering and consolidating data from sensors and cameras as well as the driver, which, over time, will help with the validation and safety of autonomous functionalities.
