Embedded Systems Design Europe - November 2007 - (Page 10) news Auto software on rise The dramatic growth in the complexity of automotive software solutions has been accompanied by challenges related to shorter development times, rising cost pressures and mounting demands for reliable, high-quality products. Competition is intensifying as software suppliers move to satisfy the demands of car manufacturers. Research from Frost & Sullivan shows the European market for software in passenger cars earned revenues of €15.63 billion in 2006 and is estimated to reach €28.84 billion in 2010. “The increasing electronic content of vehicles, technological innovation, and escalating competition among car manufacturers to offer exclusive features coupled with strict safety and environmental regulations imposed by governments has led to the explosive growth of the automotive software industry,” said Niveditha Srinivasan, a research associate at Frost & Sullivan. “The need for standardizing automotive software is also having a direct impact on the market.” Mounting consumer demand for greater comfort, convenience and connectivity has converted cars into mobile computers. Most new functionalities and innovation has been achieved through the development of high quality, cost-effective embedded software. However, the phenomenal growth of software and electronics content in vehicles has increased the complexity of the system. “To reduce hardware and software components, it is important that functions are combined and correlated into multi-functional systems,” said Srinivasan. “The rising need for system integration is pushing the market to greater heights.” A key concern for vehicle manufacturers, integrators and software suppliers remains the increasing liabilities of automotive software. Software components have to meet stringent quality and reliability requirements mandated by the automotive industry. Vehicle recalls caused by defects in software not only translate to significant losses for both car makers and suppliers, but also lead to legal complications as well. “The biggest challenge the industry faces is to constantly innovate while reducing the cost of advanced offerings,” adds Srinivasan. “Customers want greater functionality without a related increase in prices, thereby thwarting attempts by car makers to transfer additional cost burdens to consumers.” Evatronix joins OCP-IP community Intellectual property (IP) provider Evatronix SA has become a member of the Open Core Protocol International Partnership (OCP-IP). Evatronix (Bielsko-Biala, Poland) said it aims to extend application of OCP-IP standards in its IP cores in order to provide its customers with an interface to seamlessly integrate the company’s products in their applications. The OCP-IP community was founded in 2001 in a view to promote and support Open Core Protocol as an industry standard for SoC design community to address problems relating to design, verification and testing. This socket standard is said to ensure rapid merging of interoperable virtual components in complex integrated systems. “The verification tools and support Evatronix receives from OCP-IP definitely help us to ensure strict compliance of our IP core interfaces to the OCP standard,” declared Wojciech Sakowski, Evatronix co-president. “Our NANDFLASH controller core version equipped with OCP socket, which will confirm our endorsement to OCP, will be available for licensing in the first quarter of 2008.” Nanoelectronics initiative targets energy savings The European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC) has named increased energy efficiency of electronic equipment as a major research target. Up to 30 percent of the world’s electrical energy consumption could be saved by using intelligent energy management functions, believes ENIAC chairman Wolfgang Ziebart. ENIAC now plans to boost research for more energy efficient electronics; European companies have an edge in energy-saving technologies anyway, be10 lieves Ziebart. “The technology leadership of European companies in the area of increasing the energy efficiency will be secured by our research initiatives supporting the development of more efficient technologies,” said Ziebart , adding that a 25 percent increase in global energy efficiency would equal the total annual electric energy demand of the U.S. Under the ENIAC umbrella, industry and universities will collaborate in large R&D projects. These projects will focus on semiconductors and new ma- terials that eventually will enable to run power supplies, motors, lighting and computing systems with reduced losses, the council announced. The EU Commission plans to contribute more than €400 million over the next six years; up to twice as much is expected from the member states, said Norbert Lehner, chairman of the ENIAC support group. In the next step, the EU member states will work out funding details which then will be followed by dedicated project proposals submitted by consortia. NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2007 | embedded systems design europe | www.embedded.com/europe 010_ESDE.indd 10 9/11/07 11:06:32 http://www.embedded.com/europe
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