Indy Auto Man Says Software-Defined Vehicles are the Evolution That Can be Postponed

The decline in global car production, caused by the shortage of semiconductors, continues. Will the automotive industry cope with this? The analysts from the Indy Auto Man dealership, Indianapolis, explain the situation and offer to consider the issue from another angle.

Features and Options Create Complexity

No other production sector has experienced such rapid technological change as the automotive industry. More automakers commit to phasing out the use of internal combustion engines (ICE), replacing them with electric vehicles (EVs) that will eventually work in standalone mode. The trend towards software-defined vehicles adds hundreds of millions of code lines to cars, which complicates the maintenance.

Today, luxury cars such as the BMW 7 Series, equipped with advanced technologies such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), can contain 150 Electronic Control Units (ECU) or more, while pickups such as the Ford F-150 can reach 150 million code lines. Even budget cars are fast approaching 100 ECUs and 100 million code lines as more features, such as adaptive cruise control and emergency braking system, that were once considered a luxury, are becoming standard.

Deloitte estimates that about 40% of a car development budget goes towards system integration, testing, validation and certification. Keeping track of all current and obsolete electronics, software in every model released and sold can be overwhelming. Managing the complexity of variants effectively is a challenge for the entire automotive industry. Connecting and powering all ECUs, sensors and other electronic devices requires a lot of wires and manual labor to route them through the car. Thousands of wires support vehicle settings, and many physical network buses transmit signals to the vehicle. Now the software is not just a part of the car. It determines its value.

Testing Issues

Despite the considerable effort, time and money involved in ensuring that all the various electronic equipment works together, not all possible ECU combinations will pass thorough testing before production. While the safety performance of a vehicle tends to be largely standard, the complexity of ECU assembly has more to do with additional comfort and convenience features. In some cases, due to a combination of new features and options, the vehicle that rolls off the assembly line may be the first to test a particular configuration.

Even with the most tried and tested popular models, software bugs are regularly discovered and corrected after the sale. Adjustments are sometimes needed, as did General Motors with the recall of its best-selling 2019 Chevy Silverado, as well as the GMC Sierra pickup and Cadillac CT6.

Rising Renovation Costs

Most car drivers do not take notice of all the electronic devices around them – unless they are annoying or stop working. At this moment, it also becomes clear the increasing complexity of their vehicles compel them to pay more for repairs. Almost 60% of the labor required to repair a software-defined car is spent on electronics.

“Even minor damage, such as a cracked windshield, which used to cost about $200, goes up to $1,500 if the vehicle is software-defined,” said Victor Figlin, GM of Indy Auto Man. The cost of calibrating a windshield camera, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning, usually done manually, is one of the main factors affecting the cost of repairs.

Good Old Friends Comes to Rescue  

While all the technologies of software-defined vehicles are being tested, gaining popularity and reliability, there is a good way to save money. If you are not a tech geek and feel tired of all the bells and whistles, then you can buy a time-proven vehicle at a reliable used car dealership, like Indy Auto Man, Indianapolis. Most of the models of previous years will have everything you need in terms of safety and comfort. But you will not have to pay for trends and top-notch technologies that make a car a super-smart device rather than a means of transport. 

For more information, visit https://www.indyautoman.com/.

Contact:

Victor Figlin

General Manager

317.814.7520

pr@indyautoman.com

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About Indy Auto Man

A top-rated Indianapolis used car dealer, Indy Auto Man car dealership sells and finances used cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs. The car lot serves Greenwood, Beech Grove, Southport, Avon, Zionsville, Carmel, Fishers, and Westfield. Every vehicle comes with a 30 days price match and a 7 days exchange guarantee.