Stellantis, a prominent automotive manufacturer, has recently joined forces with dSPACE, a renowned provider of simulation and validation solutions, to streamline the cloud-based development of its vehicles. This strategic partnership aims to integrate dSPACE’s VEOS platform for Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) testing into Stellantis’ Virtual Engineering Workbench (VEW), enabling a more efficient and scalable development process for customer-focused features.
The VEW serves as a crucial tool that allows Stellantis engineers worldwide to fine-tune software at an early stage of development. By leveraging virtual environments, engineers can develop, integrate, test, and optimize software up to a year before the actual hardware is available. This integration is expected to significantly reduce the time-to-market for new vehicle software, potentially delivering it in under two years, a notable improvement over current timelines.
Stellantis has highlighted its software strategy, which revolves around three AI-powered technology platforms: STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit, and STLA AutoDrive. These platforms, slated to debut on select vehicles this year, were developed on the VEW and are designed to ensure agile feature delivery across the company’s 14 brands.
A key feature of the Stellantis VEW is the Virtual Cockpit, which accelerates development cycles by up to 100 times faster than traditional approaches. Yves Bonnefont, Chief Software Officer at Stellantis, expressed optimism about the collaboration with dSPACE, stating that it will enable the company to deliver innovative features faster, meet customer expectations, and enhance the overall driving experience.
The proposed partnership between Stellantis and dSPACE, outlined in a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU), is subject to the finalization of a definitive agreement. Carsten Hoff, CEO of dSPACE, emphasized the importance of customer input and feedback in advancing software products and providing a sophisticated tool chain for the validation of software-defined vehicles.
In a related development, Stellantis recently announced that One Equity Partners (OEP) has completed a majority investment in Comau, a specialist in industrial automation and robotics. This move underscores Stellantis’ commitment to innovation and strategic partnerships in the automotive industry.
Overall, the collaboration between Stellantis and dSPACE signifies a significant step towards accelerating the development of cloud-based vehicle software, paving the way for enhanced driving experiences and continuous improvements through over-the-air updates.
