Software In Cars – The Engine Behind An Enhanced Driving Experience

The car of tomorrow will be clearly defined by software. The integration of Android-based technologies, known to users from the consumer electronics field, has already made a breakthrough in the automotive world. Mobile infotainment applications in the vehicle can be used to control both in-car functions like radio and hands-free systems as well as out-of-car functions like navigation.

To ensure optimal performance of the display in the cockpit, including smartphone compatibility, continuous testing of vehicle functions and the provision of related back-end services are necessary. The large number of features available these days, however, makes it almost impossible to carry out the required quality assurance measures manually, particularly since the parameters for each test differ from application to application.
For this reason, BMW needed to bring in a higher degree of test automation to its internal development, together with compatible software-aided processes and technologies.

The project work between BMW and Gofore’s subsidiary eMundo began in 2017 with the development of organisational tools. Today, the partnership centres on the provision of test infrastructures for apps, underlying platforms, and the integration of those into the vehicle. Beyond that, simulations are carried out for specific test infrastructures as well.

Through their software expertise, eMundis support BMW in its transformation towards a digital, software-based mobility provider. The transition to software-defined vehicles, in turn, enables new revenue streams. Gofore’s subsidiary eMundo thus plays a central role in the design of future-proof vehicles, fit for the ”Smart City“ concept, in which transportation infrastructure and means of transport will be increasingly interconnected.