Leading Safety and Security in SDVs: TTTech Auto

Interview Dr. Dirk Linzmeier, CEO of TTTech Auto

In the rapidly evolving automotive technology landscape, TTTech Auto stands out for its dedication to solutions for software-defined vehicles and essential safety applications. TTTech Auto is making strides in the field of SDV development through active collaboration with key players like BlackBerry QNX, Mobileye, NXP, as well as initiatives like SDVerse, while also establishing a strong presence in Korea to foster partnerships with Korean companies, thus driving regional innovation and growth. AEM had a conversation with CEO Dirk Linzmeier.
 
written by Han_han@autoelectronics.co.kr

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What is the background and core technological capability of TTTech Auto? 
Linzmeier        TTTech Auto was founded in 2018 by TTTech Group and technology leaders Audi, Infineon and Samsung to build a global, safe vehicle software platform for automated and autonomous driving. In 2022, the company raised USD 285 million (EUR 250 million) from Aptiv and Audi in its latest funding round. At TTTech Auto's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, and its subsidiaries across Europe and Asia, 1,100 employees work with leading car manufacturers on their software-defined vehicle, ADAS and autonomous driving programs. The company has acquired and invested in technology companies in the UK, Spain, Turkey, China and Central and Eastern Europe.


You took on the role of CEO of TTTech Auto in 2022. What significance did that year hold for the automotive industry's evolution and the future trajectory of TTTech Auto? What in your background and experience prepared you to become CEO of TTTech Auto? 
Linzmeier        Before becoming the CEO of TTTech Auto in 2022, I had over 20 years of managerial experience in the automotive industry. Immediately prior to joining TTTech Auto, I served as the CEO of OSRAM Continental, a joint investment firm between OSRAM and Continental with over 1,500 employees. Previously, I held executive positions at Bosch, overseeing ADAS and vehicle electronics development in Germany and China. My career began as a research engineer at DaimlerChrysler, where I obtained a Ph.D. in the field of radar and infrared-based pedestrian detection systems.

TTTech Auto now aims to succeed in the innovative changes sweeping the automotive industry, particularly in the transition to SDVs and safety-critical applications. I hope that my past experiences in driving growth and innovation will contribute to TTTech Auto's continued success in the rapidly evolving automotive landscape.



TTTech Auto's innovative approach, 4SDV(System, Safety, Security, Software), plays a crucial role in implementing safer, more efficient, and user-centric SDVs in the industry.           



SDV enablers have catchphrases like 'code-first approach,' 'chip-to-cloud,' 'data-centric,' 'scalability,' 'customer experience,' etc., depending on their position. What does '4SDV' mean for TTTech Auto, and how does it differentiate itself? What are the challenges TTTech Auto sees in SDVs, and how can they be addressed? 
Linzmeier        The company specializes in safe software and hardware platforms for safety critical applications such as automated driving and beyond. With its cutting-edge technology solutions in more than 4 million cars on the street, TTTech Auto ensures safety and electronic robustness of SDVs for safer and more convenient driving. TTTech Auto's innovative approaches to System, Safety, Security and Software (4SDV) make it a key player in helping the industry move towards safer, more efficient and user-centric vehicles.

The automotive industry is clearly heading towards a future dominated by SDVs. According to latest statistics it assumed that by 2030 more than 90% are SDVs. SDVs must not only provide advanced functionality, but also ensure the highest level of safety and security concurrently. Already at a very early stage, TTTech Auto recognized that software alone is not reflecting the complete challenge of SDVs which are among the most complex software products in the world, exceeding even the complexity of aircraft software. 

TTTech Auto promotes a holistic approach to SDV development, known as the 4SDV approach, which emphasizes the interconnected roles of System, Safety, Security, and Software. Unlike traditional software-centric approaches, 4SDV recognizes that safety and security are system-level properties and cannot be achieved through software alone but require careful consideration from the outset of vehicle development. By integrating safety and security into the design process, TTTech Auto ensures that SDVs are not only advanced in functionality but also meet the highest standards of safety and security. Designing a 4S-defined vehicle will lead to faster development times and better updateability which are both important customer benefits.

By 2030, digital services could generate as much as $1.5 trillion in additional revenue for the global industry, rising to $3.5 trillion, amounting to 40 percent of total automotive industry revenue by 2040, according to research by consultancy Accenture. Meanwhile, in 2030 the market for over-the-air-delivered features and subscriptions is expected to reach $14 billion, up from $3.3 billion last year, according to data from consultancy Deloitte. According to a study from Deloitte, the percentage of software-defined vehicles on the road is forecast to grow fast - from 2.4% in 2021 up to more than 90% in 2030. 


Among the various issues in implementing Zonal architecture, what problems can TTTech Auto address, and what solutions does it offer?
Linzmeier        When it comes to implement zonal architectures, the key challenges here are integration, integration speed and robustness. With SDVs more and more functionality is integrated in domain or central compute units. To abstract SW functionality from the hardware, a very powerful middleware platform is necessary. Moreover, partitioning between functionalities and between different safety classes is needed as well as incremental updates without re-validation become key. Faster validation and homologation process supported by cloud approaches with time and data determines are necessary. 

All of this can be provided by the company's flagship product “MotionWise” which is a horizontal middleware platform designed specifically for distributed architectures and safety-critical real-time domains. It provides solutions for task scheduling, network communication, and safety-critical functionality, enabling faster development times and better updateability for SDVs.

With “MotionWise” TTTech Auto provides solutions for scheduling, so that the task scheduling (running on-chip) and the network communication (so-called network schedule for TSN) are created by their “MotionWise” tools in a single step. This ensures end-to-end latencies are met and efficient resource usage.

TTTech Auto provides their own communication solution for Ethernet and shared memory communication, which is to be deployed on both zonal ECUs (electronic control units) as well on HPCs (high performance computers). The communication stack and its configuration is fully abstracted from the applications. Communication is automatically created from the system model. It covers both signal-based and service-oriented communication and includes S2S - signal to service. The solution also supports ASIL D safety level on each node and CPU.

 

TTTech Auto has invested in companies like Zetta Scale. What is TTTech Auto's perspective on DDS?
Linzmeier        TTTech Auto made a strategic investment in Zetta Scale, underscoring its commitment to innovation and advancement in the realm of software-defined vehicles. With this investment, TTTech Auto aims to leverage Zetta Scale's cutting-edge Zetta Auto software solution to address the evolving challenges of SDV communication. It is designed to provide high-performance communication capabilities while facilitating highly integrable yet decoupled development processes. This innovative approach aligns perfectly with TTTech Auto's vision of driving forward the development of SDVs that are not only technologically advanced but also robust and reliable. This strategic move recognizes the relevance of Data Distribution Service (DDS) technology in the automotive industry. DDS has emerged as a key enabler for automotive communication systems, offering several advantages that align with TTTech Auto's objectives. As a data-centric middleware, DDS facilitates encapsulated development while maintaining integrability with existing systems - a crucial factor in the automotive context where interoperability is paramount.


TTTech Auto actively collaborates and participates in initiatives like SDVerse, as well as with major players like QNX and Mobileye. How can such collaborations bring value to customers in SDV development? 
Linzmeier        TTTech Auto's active collaborations with major industry players like BlackBerry QNX, Mobileye, NXP and initiatives such as SDVerse underscore its commitment to driving innovation and excellence in the realm of software-defined vehicle development. These strategic partnerships bring immense value to customers in SDV development by leveraging TTTech Auto's expertise and cutting-edge solutions.

In its collaboration with BlackBerry QNX, TTTech Auto aims to address critical complexity challenges for future software-defined vehicles. By integrating its best-in-class scheduling solutions into the new QNX operating system, TTTech Auto enhances safety and real-time domains with high computational performance and functional safety. This partnership ensures that customers receive optimized solutions tailored to meet the demanding requirements of SDV development.



TTTech Auto emphasizes its commitment to driving innovation and excellence in the field of SDV development through active collaboration with major industry players like BlackBerry QNX, Mobileye, NXP, and initiatives like SDVerse.



Additionally, TTTech Auto's involvement in SDVerse - an initiative spearheaded by industry giants like General Motors, Magna International, and Wipro - fosters collaboration among software and automotive players. By joining SDVerse, TTTech Auto contributes to creating a matchmaking platform aimed at enhancing transparency, improving software quality, and reducing costs for all industry players. This collaborative effort accelerates innovation and streamlines the development process, ultimately benefiting customers in the SDV ecosystem.

Furthermore, TTTech Auto's collaboration with Mobileye heralds a new era of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and self-driving innovations. Leveraging TTTech Auto's MotionWise software platform, Mobileye integrates its SuperVision™ system into selected OEM programs. This hands-off, eyes-on system represents a groundbreaking advancement in ADAS technology, with MotionWise serving as the cornerstone of its robust and secure software solution. TTTech Auto's proficiency in delivering safe software solutions and managing complex integrations aligns seamlessly with Mobileye's vision, ensuring the highest standards of safety and quality in the automotive industry.

TTTech Auto is also partnering with NXP for their upcoming new Open S32 CoreRide™ Platform for SDVs for which TTTech Auto will provide their modular MotionWise platform to enable a much faster and more robust integration of the increasingly complex SDV software. This includes standard QM software as well as safety critical software up to ASIL D. This simplification of mixed criticality SW integration will enable developers to deliver customer relevant functions much faster.  

In conclusion, TTTech Auto's collaborations with industry leaders like BlackBerry QNX, Mobileye, NXP and initiatives such as SDVerse underscore its commitment to driving innovation and excellence in SDV development. By harnessing the collective expertise of these partnerships, TTTech Auto empowers customers with cutting-edge solutions that propel the automotive industry forward into a safer, more efficient, and more connected future.


What value can TTTech Auto provide to autonomous driving companies?
Linzmeier        As the autonomous driving (AD) industry continues to burgeon with the emergence of numerous new players, TTTech Auto stands out as a leading provider of cutting-edge solutions poised to revolutionize the sector. With a keen focus on delivering value-added services to autonomous driving, TTTech Auto is at the forefront of driving innovation and accelerating the advancement of automated driving technologies.

One of the key value propositions that TTTech Auto offers to autonomous driving technology lies again in its comprehensive middleware solution MotionWise. In a landscape where original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are increasingly investing in building their software capabilities, MotionWise serves as a reliable and robust middleware platform that enables OEMs to streamline their software development processes. By leveraging MotionWise, OEMs can allocate their resources more efficiently, allowing their software development teams to focus on enhancing the end-user experience - a crucial aspect in achieving differentiation in the competitive AD market.

Moreover, TTTech Auto's Safety Consulting Services further augment its value proposition to realize autonomous driving. With a specialized focus on architectures for automated driving systems, TTTech Auto provides invaluable expertise and guidance to its customers, ensuring the development of safe and reliable autonomous driving solutions. 


The Autonomous initiative is impressive. What is its purpose, what value does it offer, and how can Korean companies participate?
Linzmeier        In 2019, TTTech Auto launched The Autonomous, a global community dedicated to shaping the future of safe autonomous mobility. The Autonomous is an open platform building an ecosystem of all actors involved in the development of safe autonomous mobility. Ecosystem partners range from car manufacturers, technology suppliers and regulatory authorities to disruptors, thought leaders, academia, and government institutions. The goal of The Autonomous is to generate new knowledge and technological solutions in the field of autonomous mobility, thus accelerating the transition to market readiness and series development of safe self-driving vehicles. 

Korean companies can join live or virtually their Autonomous Main Event taking place every year in Vienna. It brings together the people and companies working on crucial safety topics for the future of autonomous mobility. The Main Event speaker lineup includes C-level executives, top safety experts and senior decision-makers from the global autonomous mobility industry. The next annual Autonomous Main Event is scheduled for September 23-24, 2024. 



 


In Korea, there is active development of UAM projects by companies like Hyundai Motor and SK Group. Does TTTECH GROUP or TTTech Auto have plans to support the Korean UAM market?
Linzmeier        TTTech Business Unit Aerospace is collaborating with world-wide companies contributing to UAM market development in B11 discussing common touchpoints primarily on deterministic embedded network platform solutions that support the reduction of size, weight, and power (SWaP) and provide high bandwidths. 

Certification capabilities according to the aerospace standards are crucial in the UAM market, where TTTech Aerospace brings decades of experience with certified solutions up to the highest DAL A level. TTTech Aerospace’s products have gone through certification with the most important certification authorities i.e. the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace (CCAA), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US.
These products are already designed into various aviation, space and UAM applications, and the goal is to leverage gathered know-how and contribute to announced commercialization of UAM aircrafts in South Korea.


Lastly, what direction will the company take for future development? What are the investment plans for Korea?
Linzmeier        Looking ahead, TTTech Auto remains committed to advancing the development of safe and secure software-defined vehicles by pursuing their "4SDV approach" system, safety, security and software integration in order to reliably bring safety-critical functions into the vehicle. Additionally, they modularized their product MotionWise and will release several modules such as the MotionWise Schedule in the next months. Furthermore, TTTech Auto invested a lot to become a high-performance software factory and will continue this path to be benchmark in software production.

With a focus on innovation, collaboration, and customer-centric solutions, the company is well-positioned to lead the automotive industry into the era of SDVs and autonomous mobility.
In Korea, TTTech Auto has established a strong presence to better serve its customers and contribute to the country's vibrant automotive market. By investing in local capabilities and fostering partnerships with Korean companies, TTTech Auto aims to drive innovation and growth in the region.

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AEM_Automotive Electronics Magazine