Dipti Vachani Talks Software Defined Vehicles Ahead of WCX Keynote
Posted: February 22, 2023
Debates swirl around just what should be considered a software defined vehicle in today’s mobility circles.
Is it a completely unmanned car, a Level 6 on SAE’s Levels of Driving Automation? Is it something in our near future, or something we won’t see on the road for decades?
Senior Vice President & General Manager, Automotive Line of Business of Arm Dipti Vachani is here to tell you it’s happening right now.
“The number one misconception of software defined vehicles – and I see this all the time—is that it’s a concept for something in the future,” Vachani said. “The truth of the matter is software defined vehicles are here and now.”
To drive home her point, Vachani brought up the example of a Boeing 787, operating on 14 million lines of code, and compared this to an average vehicle at Level 2 on SAE’s Levels of Driving Automation, which operates on 100 million lines of code.
“The massive amount of code that we deploy in our vehicles already today requires us to have the flexibility after it’s gone into production and on the road; that we can deploy new code onto that vehicle, that we can deploy new upgrades onto that vehicle, that we can deploy new experiences,” Vachani said.
That experience is particularly important to customers, she said, who are expecting as vehicle users to have the same type of seamless experience they have with other tech, whether that be a smart phone or other personal devices—and that means upgradable features.
WATCH: Keynote Conversation with Dipti Vachani
That means that OEMS need to start thinking about the software defined vehicle in the here and now, Vachani said.
But who can provide this experience? It’s important for workforce development that young professionals are getting excited about this work, and Vachani and her colleagues are working to recruit bright young minds toward this area of the automotive industry.
“From a technology standpoint, often young professionals have this view that it’s slow moving…that is absolutely incorrect. All of the newest, greatest technologies are deploying into vehicles. This market is moving faster than any other market in the industry.”
To reach this next generation, Vachani stresses it’s important to focus on the things they are passionate about—highlighting environmental sustainability as one of these passion areas. She cites the work being done around electrification and reducing the carbon footprint as some examples of how to appeal to the younger demographic.
Combined with their interest in new and developing technology, the automotive industry has many opportunities that appeal to university students.
“If you want to start playing with this next generation of technology, if you want to make an impact on the environment, then this is the place to be,” she said.
Vachani will address these topics and more, looking at the opportunities in automotive as she examines the changes happening in the industry including electrification, new user experience, and software defined vehicles. She plans to walk through these challenges and discuss what Arm is doing to help the industry and the entire ecosystem resolve and stay ahead of challenges in the space.
Register at wcx.sae.org to catch Vachani’s keynote address and convene with industry on mobility’s biggest challenges and opportunities on April 18-20 in Detroit, Michigan.