This year, we had a chance to visit VECS 2024 and I could moderate Track A on electronics. Yes, I know, I’m a software engineer, but electronics is what our bits and bytes are actually running on.
VECS 2024 is all about SDV – Software Defined Vehicles – they are not here yet, but they will be, and they will be soon. SDV is all about making software driving the innovation of the automotive industry. We need to remember that this is not a playground for engineers (at least no officially), but it is a new experience for the customers.
Software, AI, Software and AI, AI and Software are the major drivers of the customer experience. OTA (Over the air updates), safety, infotainment, connectivity and electrification are really important here.
A quote of the day is from the first keynote – “Are you affraid of BYD’s chemists and Tesla’s coders?”, puts a finger on what this whole disruption is all about. 56 dollars per KWh of BYDs batteries is almost half the price of the competition. FSD is one of the most anticipated innovations and Tesla Model Y is the most sold vehicle model worldwide (I know we have a lot of models, so fragmentation is without parity, but still).
So, if there is a time to be in embedded software development in the automotive industry, it’s now.