Continental launches the Integrated Interior Platform (IIP) for future car cockpits

　　Continental will present its new Integrated Interior Platform (IIP) at the 2019 Frankfurt International Motor Show (12-22 September). As a high-performance computer, this comprehensive hardware and software solution not only lays the foundation for human-machine interaction in the connected cockpit of the future, but also provides the highest quality. In its cockpit simulator, the technology company Continental will demonstrate how the IIP combines various displays, such as instruments and center console displays, with connected services to form a complete solution. The IIP is a milestone in the transformation of electrical and electronic architectures, which moves the on-board electronics from many independent control units to a few high-performance computers.

　　Continental uses a virtualization solution for the IIP architecture, which enables multiple operating systems with different security requirements to run simultaneously on one computer. It supports open source operating systems such as QNX, Integrity, Linux and Android Automotive, as well as operating systems provided by third parties. The required software will be integrated and tested in the highly automated and flexible "Continental Software Factory". Continental has also fundamentally changed its processes through its "Agile Campus" at its Wetzlar plant to ensure effective collaboration, thereby shortening the development cycle.

　　Dr. Karsten Michels, Head of Systems & Technologies at Continental’s Interior division, said: “The cockpit of the future presents two major challenges for our development work. First, there is the increasing trend towards the separation of software and hardware, as well as the emergence of a wide range of open source software and new business models. Second, there is the need to implement processes that will allow us to meet these new requirements quickly and efficiently, while also ensuring a high degree of operational safety.”

　　IIP supports a wide range of products and can be further expanded through the use of hardware concepts. Michels pointed out: "In order to solve the challenges of system integration, we are adjusting the working culture of Continental and focusing on more flexible ways of working. Through the "Agile Workshop" in Wetzlar, we are able to accelerate this adjustment. This includes implementing highly automated continuous testing processes and integrating strict and transparent quality standards. Quality is the focus of our research and development work."

　　Integrated Body Electronics Platform: Cockpit Technology of the Future

　　The IIP, unveiled at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, features a single, integrated display that runs the width of the cockpit and includes the many functions that a connected car must be able to handle simultaneously. For example, the digital display shows the digital rearview mirror in addition to the traditional instrument information. The driver can also use gestures to retrieve content, such as a high-resolution navigation map on the passenger display. If the driver switches to autonomous driving mode, the system displays the content in full screen, including all connected services and applications that would otherwise only appear on the passenger side. The IIP is able to control multiple displays in the cockpit. To achieve this, the IIP must be able to run both applications with high automotive safety features and open source applications from a variety of sources, such as Android. Therefore, secure encapsulation of various operating systems using virtual machine technology or containers is an essential part of the IIP. In manual driving mode, passengers can use all the digital services they are familiar with, including office applications such as Outlook and Skype.

　　Completely changing the cultural concept: the agile working method of the "software factory"

　　Continental's 20 teams in four regions in Europe and Asia are participating in the agile development of IIP software. They have completed 70,000 automated tests, created 250 software benchmarks, and automatically archived them every week. Once the source code changes, the project engineering will be "recompiled" immediately and the qualified release conditions ("gating") will be reviewed in a highly automated manner. Jens Walther, an agile development expert at Continental, said: "We have eliminated all manual reporting processes, and automated operations will greatly improve our efficiency."

　　In addition to the "highly automated gating" system, transparent metrics ensure that the team can measure software quality in real time, starting from the source code level. Walther added: "Agile development teams, internal and external stakeholders can view all quality-related information in real time to propose solutions to problems. Through this flexible and automated approach, the software can reach a high level of maturity at an early stage, which helps us accelerate development work and bring it to market earlier."

　　This cultural change requires a deep understanding of agile ways of working within the team, especially in the Wetzlar Agile Workshop. The use of agile methods and tools in the Agile Workshop is not limited to software development, but is a general practice in the workshop. Continental is also gradually turning to agile methods in other regions as part of its cultural change. "Agile working methods are widely praised. Today, we are able to meet the needs of global automobile manufacturers, who are actively cooperating with us based on agile working methods," said Walther.