ThunderSoft's new generation of intelligent cockpit is here. What new trends in smart car technology are hidden behind it?

Smart cockpits are creating a wave of development. This can be seen from the just-concluded CES Asia: the competition between models of the same level in terms of vehicle product strength is weakening, and the levels are similar; the competition in terms of experience and functions of smart cockpits and in-vehicle OS is still very fierce. Many distinctive smart cockpits appeared at the CES Asia exhibition and have been installed in mass-produced models. Suppliers have also brought more forward-looking next-generation smart cockpits.

At Thundersoft's booth, a smart cockpit with multiple screens and a cool 3D visual design was very eye-catching. This was also the first appearance of Thundersoft's "one machine, multiple screens, multiple systems" embedded AI smart cockpit 3.0 solution based on Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8155 platform and QNX Hypervisor.

Xin Zhijia took this opportunity to talk with Li Weishan, executive vice president of Thundersoft's intelligent vehicle business group, and learned about Thundersoft's new moves in smart cockpit 3.0 and the new technological trends it represents.

New technologies represented by Smart Cockpit 3.0

Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8155 platform: The highlight of Smart Cockpit 3.0 is the use of Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8155 platform. This platform is a multi-core heterogeneous system with three times the performance of the original Qualcomm 820 platform; it supports greater computing power and higher CPU/GPU performance; it has more functions, especially AI functions. The system architecture can realize the integration of AI algorithms into one chip, which makes the AI ​​function run faster and more stably.

From the perspective of the entire system, the Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8155 platform runs faster and truly realizes the integration of cockpit and intelligent vision. The Smart Cockpit 3.0 solution integrates Thundersoft's artificial intelligence technologies such as face recognition and voice recognition. Through the driver's identity and emotion recognition, the smart cockpit can recommend corresponding theme interfaces and 3D animations based on the driver's status; and supports voice recognition to control navigation, Bluetooth phone calls, and music playback, truly freeing the driver's hands.

QNX Hypervisor Technology: The Smart Cockpit 3.0 solution implements the QNX+Android P system environment based on QNX Hypervisor technology. Simply put, the digital instrument panel runs on the QNX system, while the central control and co-pilot entertainment run on the Android P system. The system performance is deeply optimized, making the QNX system startup time less than 3 seconds, the Android system startup time less than 18 seconds, and the reversing image startup time less than 3 seconds. 

Kanzi for Android deep integration: Compared with the previous generation of products, Smart Cockpit 3.0 deeply integrates Kanzi for Android, making the Android system and Kanzi perfectly connected. It is based on Rightware's Kanzi® 3D development tool engine and combines Kanzi Connect® interconnection technology, allowing the Android system to implement its UI design through Kanzi, such as 3D records, customizable real-life navigation, real-time interface customization, cross-screen and cross-system applications, and other functions.

Kanzi for Android ensures the uniformity and integrity of UI vision among different systems such as cockpit digital instruments, IVI, RSE, etc. Smart Cockpit 3.0 also connects to cloud devices through Kanzi Connect®, enabling deep interaction between mobile phones and cockpit.

Multi-screen interaction: Li Weishan mentioned that in the future of fully autonomous driving, large-screen and multi-screen interaction in smart cars is a trend. Since smart driving involves human-machine co-driving, smart cars carry more and more driver information, external environment information, vehicle information, etc., which need to be presented to users in more space and in different areas, and ensure good interaction with the driver.

Based on the multi-screen linkage supported by Kanzi for Android, the map can be displayed across screens during navigation, presenting 3D navigation in all directions; at the end of navigation, the map can be shrunk from the co-pilot screen to the central control screen. Multiple options are available to meet more personalized needs.

The "one device, multiple screens, multiple systems" intelligent cockpit 3.0 solution based on Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8155 platform and integrated with embedded AI sends a signal to the public that the cockpit system is connecting the instrument and infotainment system, and integrating some ADAS functions, gradually forming a domain. Computing centralization and automotive cockpit domain integration have become a trend.

Automotive digitization and 5G’s technological changes to the smart cockpit

The digitalization of automobiles affects the development of the next generation of intelligent cockpits. Li Weishan mentioned that software-defined cars must first realize the electrification and digitization of the entire car. This involves the vehicle architecture and body network. In the future, there will be more and more vehicle sensors, and more ECUs, more domains (power domain, chassis domain, entertainment domain, safety domain), higher bandwidth and body network, and vehicle network communication. This poses challenges to vehicle safety, software platform scalability, openness, and cloud integration. In the next generation of intelligent cockpits, Thundersoft proposes corresponding solutions for the above levels:

In terms of vehicle architecture, ThunderSoft will provide more support for the next-generation body network eAVB/TSN and gateways.

In the cockpit domain, ThunderSoft supports infotainment systems and real-time operating systems of multiple open applications (such as Android, QNX, and Linux) through hardware virtualization, meets the real-time requirements of instruments, machine vision, etc., and supports information interaction between multiple screens.

At the cloud-integration level, ThunderSoft fully combines 5G, big data intelligence, and AI to achieve cloud-integrated intelligent solutions.

In 2019, 5G is entering commercialization. Li Weishan explained the changes that 5G will bring to smart cars from two aspects:

The first is intelligent network technology: 5G high-speed network can help vehicles obtain road and vehicle information better and faster. For example, 3D navigation and 3D high-precision map data are large in volume, and 5G high-bandwidth network can support real-time download of map data and achieve high-precision navigation.

Second, at the autonomous driving level: Currently, autonomous driving is still at the stage of single-vehicle intelligence. When an autonomous driving vehicle identifies a road traffic accident or road change information, the vehicle's path planning will change in a timely manner. With the advent of the 5G era, road information, vehicle training data and models can be shared between vehicles in a timely and rapid manner.

The combination of 5G and artificial intelligence, implemented in smart cars and smart cockpits, can improve data transmission speed and function richness. At present, it is difficult to make long connections in the Internet of Vehicles in smart cockpits, the network connection is unstable, and data cannot be transmitted in real time. The powerful data carrying capacity and transmission speed brought by 5G technology and long connections meet the massive data needs generated in the process of digital travel, and the increase in network speed also ensures the timeliness of information flow between people and cars, cars and cars, and cars and roads.

While satisfying entertainment needs, Internet of Vehicles technology can also be more involved in driving itself: through faster data exchange, better route planning can be carried out in combination with the vehicle environment; at the HMI level, the interior design will change with mood, road conditions, etc., to achieve different faces for different people.

At the beginning of 2019, with the rapid advancement of 5G commercialization, Thundersoft took the lead in launching the 5G version of TurboX AI Kit. The 5G version of TurboX AI Kit not only supports developers and manufacturers to focus on creating the next generation of AI products, but also supports 5G application development and testing, helps to realize the prototype design of 5G terminal products, and promotes the implementation of 5G+AI technology scenarios in many fields such as VR/AR and Internet of Vehicles. Thundersoft TurboX AI Kit, an AI development kit, also won the CES Asia 2019 Innovation Award.

In the era of software-defined cars, ThunderSoft's implementation methodology

From the emergence of the first generation of digital instruments to the transformation of multi-screen integrated smart cockpits, "software-defined cars" has become a consensus in the automotive industry, and software will account for 90% of automotive innovation in the future.

In Li Weishan's view, by 2030, electronic components and digitalization will account for 30% of the total cost of the car, and software will also account for 30%. In terms of significance, software will become an important force driving automotive innovation.

ThunderSoft positions itself as a software platform technology solution provider, providing software platform, consulting and design services. Starting from operating system technology, ThunderSoft cooperates with chip manufacturers such as Qualcomm and cooperates with Internet companies on product services and applications. It has successively acquired Appsys, Finnish software company Rightware, and visual technology provider MM Solutions, forming a product matrix integrating smart cockpit, car entertainment system, smart dashboard, ADAS and HMI.

We provide software technology services to Tier 1 suppliers, OEMs, chip manufacturers, and Internet companies. Currently, more than 100 companies around the world use ThunderSoft's smart cockpit products and solutions, including Audi, Honda, GAC, CHJ Automotive, etc., covering Europe, America, China, Japan, and South Korea, of which more than 30 are in China. Among them, new car companies such as Skywell Auto, CHJ Automotive, Xpeng Motors, and Byton have established cooperation with ThunderSoft.