A Structured Approach to the Development of a Logical Architecture for the Automotive Industry 2024-01-2048
The automotive industry is currently experiencing a massive transformation, one like it has not quite seen in the past. With the advent of highly software-driven, always on, connected vehicles, the automotive industry is experiencing itself at a crossroads. While the traditional component-driven design approach to vehicle development worked in the favor of the industry for decades due to vehicles being mostly mechanical in nature, the industry now finds itself struggling to develop well-integrated vehicle solutions with the large dependency on software systems. The fast-paced nature of the software world makes it imperative to approach the development of automobiles from a Systems Engineering perspective. A function-based approach to the development of vehicle architectures can ensure cohesive systems development and a well-integrated vehicle. Such an approach can help in analyzing vehicle development from a capability-based perspective as opposed to the component-driven approach traditionally seen in legacy organizations. This paper discusses a systematic approach adopted by the authors to develop a vehicle logical architecture stemming from the key functions expected to be delivered by the vehicle. The paper discusses the detailed approach, starting from the ideation phase to its current state. The study highlighted how the current way of thinking within legacy organizations can hamper innovation, the necessity for reusable logical architectures, and the cultural barriers to the implementation of such an approach.