EEA architecture design and function analysis of vehicle OTA

As cars develop towards software-defined cars and smart cars, OTA (Over The Air) technology is increasingly being used in cars. OTA technology can enable remote wireless upgrades of car software, bringing continuous functionality and performance improvements to cars.

From the perspective of vehicle manufacturers, OTA technology is of great significance to the development of smart cars. It realizes the remote upgrade capability of software, decouples the software design process from the hardware design process, and allows continuous iteration of software. This is especially important for some complex software, such as autonomous driving and smart cockpits, which are difficult to develop in traditional automotive R&D processes. OTA technology supports agile development, making the entire software development process more flexible.

Specifically, in the traditional automotive R&D process, the software version usually needs to be locked in the early stages of product development. The automotive electronic and electrical system includes multiple electronic control units, and the software versions of these control units have been determined in the early stages of automotive development. The hardware system is still being iterated and tested. In this mode, it is difficult to make major changes to the software.

In the OTA environment, the software design process is very different from the hardware design process. As long as the OTA part is done well in the vehicle development process, the subsequent software iteration can be decoupled from the vehicle hardware development, and more flexible continuous iteration can be performed. This makes the automotive software development process more like the development process of Internet software. Automotive companies have also introduced concepts such as agile development and DevOps. Software can be quickly optimized and upgraded based on data-driven.

Overall, in the past, the functions and performance of automobiles were mainly achieved through hardware upgrades. In the era of smart cars, software has become the core competitiveness. Auto companies have invested more R&D resources in software and algorithms. OTA technology is the key to this transformation. It makes software the driving force for the continuous improvement of automobiles, no longer limited by the hardware life cycle.

Specifically, the OTA system from the cloud to the vehicle can be divided into several parts:

The cloud-based OTA platform receives software update packages from car manufacturers and performs version management, software package production and release based on vehicle information and strategies.

The vehicle side downloads the software package from the OTA platform through 4G, 5G and other networks. The connected controller receives the software package and forwards it to the central domain controller. GATEWAY

The central domain controller verifies the software package and then distributes it to the corresponding electronic control unit for installation. Each control unit has a specific OTA mechanism, and the central domain controller is responsible for coordinating and managing the entire OTA process.

Throughout the OTA process, many indicators need to be considered:

The security of software package transmission, using certificates, encryption and other technologies to ensure transmission security;

Transmission speed: The transmission rate varies in different network environments. The transmission speed in the worst case should be considered.

Flashing success rate: The complex link from cloud to car has a high probability of flashing failure, and repeated flashing is needed to improve robustness;

Vehicle status management: During the OTA process, the vehicle is in an abnormal state and basic functions must be guaranteed to be normal;

Vehicle power management: when upgrading a major version, you need to consider whether the battery power can support the entire flashing process;

User interaction, such as mobile app reservation upgrades, etc.

The complex link from the cloud to the vehicle requires comprehensive testing, including functional testing, performance testing, safety testing, and interaction testing.

OTA technology not only enables remote upgrades of car software, but is also an important means for smart cars to achieve continuous progress. Through a closed data loop with the cloud, the vehicle continuously collects data during use and feeds it back to the cloud. The cloud further optimizes algorithms and models based on the data and pushes new software to the vehicle through OTA. In this way, the entire software system continues to evolve, and the vehicle becomes smarter.

It can be seen that OTA technology has transformed software upgrades from the past hardware life cycle to a continuous iteration model that is decoupled from hardware. It not only promotes the progress of individual software, but also connects vehicle software and hardware with the cloud, forming a huge artificial intelligence training and feedback loop.

OTA technology is one of the important features of the evolution of cars to smart cars. It greatly improves the upgradeability and transformability of cars. Users have also changed from being simple car owners to participants in the car ecosystem. They can get new functions and experiences through OTA.

OTA technology has changed the way car software is designed, enabling continuous and rapid iteration of car software, making it possible for the development of smart cars. It not only enables remote upgrades of car software, but is also an important part of the data-driven closed loop between the cloud and the car side of smart cars, driving the continuous progress of cars. OTA technology has ushered in a new era of continuous upgrades of car functions.