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We are happy to announce work on Vehicle Information Service Specification (VISS), an API for accessing the COVESA Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS) data, and Vehicle Information Service Specification Reference Implementation (VISSR) will continue in COVESA. Version 2.0 is available now.

VISS is an API for accessing COVESA Vehicle Signal Specification data. The work started at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in collaboration with GENIVI and its successor COVESA. The W3C Automotive Working Group closed in February of 2024.  

Common vehicle data models and interfaces are at the heart of and imperative for enabling innovation and new business models for Connected Vehicles, Software Defined Vehicles, and mobility. VISS (API) and VSS (model) are available to meet today’s challenges.

At the COVESA Spring AMM in Gothenburg, Sweden, the following sessions will focus on VISS:

Wednesday, April 17

• 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM: Common Vehicle Interfaces Working Session - New features proposal for next version of VISSv2

Thursday, April 18

• 10:15 - 10:45 AM: Empowering Digital Services
• 1:15 - 2:00 PM: Vehicle Information Service Specification Consent Model
• 2:30 - 3:15 PM: Vehicle Information Service Specification Feeder Domain Conversion Explained and Demonstrated

Regular calls will start after the AMM (date/time TBD). Please join us to collaborate, and contribute.

Excitement is building in the global automotive community as we edge closer to the COVESA Annual Member Meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, from April 16-18. We’re spotlighting an integral part of our collaborative efforts: the Birds of a Feather Groups (BoF).

At the core of COVESA's efforts is the belief in the strength of collaboration. COVESA members spearhead a variety of collaborative groups and projects to advance the mobility ecosystem and accelerate the development of connected vehicle systems. These projects push innovation and provide the industry with critical guidance, specifications, and open-source licensed software. This collective effort equips the automotive sector with the necessary tools and materials for developing commercial solutions that pave the way for the future of mobility.

Spotlight on Birds of a Feather Groups

The Birds of a Feather Groups (BoF) allow members to delve into specific areas of interest within the automotive sector, from in-vehicle commerce and payments to the use of VSS for commercial vehicle fleets to connected safety.

Key Sessions to Look Forward To:

Wednesday, April 17

• 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM: Commercial Vehicle BoF Working Session - Coordination with Other CV Organizations
• 2:45 PM - 3:30 PM: Commercial Vehicle BoF Working Session - Extending VSS to Commercial Vehicles (w/ VSS group)
• 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM: Connected Safety Birds of a Feather Working Session

Thursday, April 18

• 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM: Payments Birds of A Feather Working Session

Don't miss this chance to join a community actively defining the next era of automotive innovation. Check out the full agenda and register today!

Not part of COVESA? Becoming a member of COVESA opens the door to unparalleled opportunities for collaboration. One of the most significant benefits of membership is the chance to collaborate with fellow members!

As the automotive industry moves toward Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV), a collaborative effort across the entire sector is crucial for this transition. The upcoming COVESA Spring Annual Member Meeting (AMM) in Gothenburg, Sweden, from April 16-18, perfectly aligns with this drive, offering a platform to share ideas, innovations, and solutions through sessions dedicated to various SDV topics.

These sessions delve into the intersection of technology, open-source, and business within the SDV landscape:

Tuesday, April 16

• 4:10 PM - 4:40 PM: Navigating the Intersection of Technology, Open-Source, and Business for the Software-Defined Vehicle
• 4:40 PM - 5:05 PM: What’s an SDV and why is it needed?

Wednesday, April 17

• 11:40 AM - 12:05 PM: FMS & COVESA APIs in a Software-defined Commercial Vehicle Ecosystem
• 3:10 PM - 3:35 PM: How do we "un-suck" our Software?
• 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM: Complexity of Moving to Software-Oriented Approaches
• 4:45 PM - 5:30 PM: Apps in the Context of the Software Defined Vehicle

Thursday, April 18

• 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: A Framework Approach to Standardizing Consent Management in Software-Defined Vehicles

These sessions are timely considering the formation of the SDV Alliance, which includes AUTOSAR, COVESA, Eclipse SDV, and SOAFEE, and was announced at CES 2024. This "collaboration of collaborations" aims to clarify each consortium's contributions to the SDV ecosystem and foster active cooperation to showcase their interconnectedness and synergy.

Register now to join the global automotive community in Gothenburg, where you will have an unparalleled opportunity to learn, share, and collaborate on the cutting edge of automotive innovation.

The automotive industry is on the cusp of significant digital transformation, with vehicle data playing a pivotal role in shaping its future.

Among the many topics that will be discussed at the COVESA Spring Annual Member Meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, from April 16-18 will be Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS)—a cornerstone effort by the COVESA community to standardize vehicle data across the industry.

Introduced in 2016, COVESA’s VSS has emerged as a widely adopted open data model designed to normalize vehicle data such as speed, tire pressure, and interior lights. This initiative is especially significant as it strives to enable data interoperability, reduce data fragmentation, and foster innovation and collaboration across various sectors, including EV Charging, Safety, Maintenance, Fleet Operations, and Insurance.

The upcoming event will feature sessions aimed at both newcomers and seasoned professionals, with discussions led by key figures from major automotive and technology companies like aicas, AiDEN Automotive, BMW Group, ETAS, Ford, Geotab, GM, Mbition Volvo, RemotiveLabs, SPREAD, and more. These sessions will explore the business value of adopting VSS, its benefits for the automotive industry, and how it can enhance collaboration with other sectors:

Tuesday, April 16

• 3:45 PM - 4:10 PM – A Beginners Guide to Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS) with COVESA's Paul Boyes and Steve Crumb

Wednesday, April 17

• 9:45 AM - 10:30 AM – Learning VSS: A Deeper Dive for an advanced session on VSS
• 2:30 PM - 3:10 PM – Leveraging VSS To Solve Business Challenges on how VSS is addressing OEMs and Fleet Managers' challenges
• 2:45 PM - 3:30 PM –  Commercial Vehicle BoF Working Session - Extending VSS to Commercial Vehicles
• 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM –  In-Vehicle API (joining forces with AUTOSAR) on the integration of in-vehicle API based on VSS with AUTOSAR technology
• 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM –  Towards a Vehicle DATA Specification
• 4:45 PM - 5:30 PM –  Vehicle Signal Specification Working Session

Thursday, April 18

Explore a diverse lineup of sessions on Vehicle Information Service Specification (VISS), and data architectural patterns throughout the day. VISS, a collaborative effort started between W3C and COVESA, is anchored by VSS and offers a service for accessing vehicle information and sensor signals within a vehicle's network.  These sessions include:

• 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM – Introduction to the COVESA Central Data Service Playground (followed by Data Expert Group - Architecture and Infrastructure Working Session)
• 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM – Vehicle Information Service Specification Consent Model
• 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM - Data Middleware Enabling Offline-First Telemetry Collection and Real-time Decision Making with an In-car Knowledge Layer
• 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM – Vehicle Information Service Specification Feeder Domain Conversion Explained and Demonstrated
• 3:15 PM - 3:45 PM – Data Acquisition beyond VSS

This event is a platform for innovation and collaboration, offering unparalleled opportunities to engage with the minds shaping the future of connected vehicles.

Register now for the upcoming COVESA Spring AMM. This event promises to be a melting pot of ideas, innovation, and collaboration, bringing together the global automotive community to learn, share, and collaborate!

For more information on VSS and its impact on the automotive ecosystem, we encourage you to check out our white paper: VEHICLE SIGNAL SPECIFICATION (VSS): ENABLING CROSS-INDUSTRY ECOSYSTEMS AND INNOVATION.

COVESA Kicks Off an Exciting 2024 with Upcoming Spring AMM and Stellar CES Showing 

The COVESA community is off to an exhilarating start in 2024, highlighted by our presence at CES and excitement building for our upcoming Spring Annual Member Meeting (AMM) in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Fresh off the heels of a highly successful CES event that drew in our members and friends from around the world and a showcase that spotlighted our members' groundbreaking innovations, we are now gearing up for another key event!

Register Now for Our COVESA AMM in Gothenburg, Sweden!

If you aren’t already aware, registration for the Spring All Member Meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, is open. The event, happening April 16-18, 2024, will be held at the Scandic Göteborg Central hotel.  A room block for reservations will be open until March 31, 2024.

We’ve assembled a great program featuring representatives from OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, specialty software providers, and innovative start-ups!

As you can see on the agenda, this event will have similarities and differences from previous AMMs. Tuesday will kick off with introductory sessions and a keynote from our COVESA President. On Wednesday and Thursday, we’ll have working sessions for Expert Groups, Projects, and Birds of a Feather (BoF) activities. The themes of Wednesday’s business tracks include:

• Open Source in Vehicle Safety Applications
• Commercial, Off-Road, and Specialty Vehicles
• Software Defined Vehicles

New this year is a Board of Directors panel discussion, which presents an opportunity for members and non-members alike to hear about how the Board is leading COVESA into the future. As anticipated, we will have a demonstration and showcase event on Wednesday with 8,000 sq. ft. of space available. If you’re interested in showcasing your products and services or having visibility as an AMM event sponsor, contact Mike Nunnery at MikeNunnery@comcast.net.

We are grateful to our sponsors, including Ford Motor Company, LGE, MongoDB, Sonatus, Profilence, AIDEN, Mavi.io, aicas, Disti, Starfish, Tietoevry, and Haas Alert, with many more coming soon.

While the event is a gathering of the COVESA community, non-members are also welcome to register for a small fee. We can’t wait to see our members and new faces in Gothenburg! Please register today and secure your hotel room before the block closes on March 31st.

And as we gear up for the Spring AMM in Gothenburg, we’d like to reflect on the recent success of our COVESA Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 Showcase.

COVESA CES204 Showcase Recap

CES has triumphantly returned, with 125,000 attendees signaling a rebound from the pandemic years. This resurgence was demonstrated at COVESA’s CES Showcase and Reception event on January 9 at the Bellagio Hotel. We welcomed around 2,200 people to the 3-hour event, who made their rounds to the over 80 tables and booths hosted by COVESA members, industry partners, and related organizations. This event’s success cannot be possible without the support of our sponsoring organizations:

While there is much to say about the event, a picture tells a thousand words, so we invite you to visit the gallery of pictures from the event. Here are just a few highlights from COVESA Executive Director Steve Crumb:

• We had an increase in the number of tables/booths compared to last year, and it felt much more like a true COVESA-driven event, as demonstrated by the non-stop discussions held at the COVESA table by Paul Boyes and others.
• That said, we were again happy to host the State of Michigan MEDC Office of Future Mobility and Electrification as a significant event partner. We had the pleasure of being welcomed by Michigan Lt. Governor Gilchrist, who spoke briefly from the stage and visited with several showcase participants.
• The event marked the launch of the SDV Alliance, a joint activity of COVESA, AUTOSAR, Eclipse SDV, and SOAFEE, which is collectively working toward meeting the tremendous promises of the software defined vehicle.
• Everyone we spoke to was excited about the prospect of expanding the showcase tables/booths and welcoming an even larger crowd of attendees at the next CES event in 2025.

A special thanks goes to Mike Nunnery and his team for creating and executing this amazing event!

In today’s digital era, consumers expect the technology they interact with in their daily lives - from smartphones to smart homes - to work seamlessly. This expectation also applies to their vehicles, which are not just a means of transportation but an integral part of a larger mobility ecosystem. But how do we bridge this gap between expectation and reality?

The big challenge for vehicle manufacturers is to remain at the forefront of this digital integration. They must determine the crucial data, functionalities, and programming interfaces that apply to current and future digital experiences. Beyond creating these content and experiences, it's about updating them swiftly, safely, and without disruption.

Addressing these challenges and seizing the opportunities requires a common understanding of vehicle data and interfaces, both in and out of the vehicle and across the broader mobility ecosystem. That’s where COVESA’s Vehicle Signal Specification plays a pivotal role, establishing a common language that underpins the digital platform of future automobiles.

Since its introduction in 2016, VSS has become a widely adopted, open data model for vehicle data from speed, tire pressure, interior lights, and much more. At its core, it’s about making it universally understandable and usable across many contexts.

More than a technical specification, VSS is a catalyst for collaboration. It reduces fragmentation in vehicle data and opens doors for cross-industry partnerships in areas like EV charging, safety, maintenance, fleet operations, and more unlocking new business opportunities and spurring ecosystem growth.

Learn more about the key advantages and design principles behind VSS in our latest white paper, “Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS): Enabling Cross-Industry Ecosystems and Innovation.” 

VSS is gaining rapid adoption, yet there is still plenty of opportunity to evolve the specification and associated tooling. VSS will only reach its full potential if it continues to be widely adopted by the automotive and adjacent industries. We invite you to join the COVESA community and Data Expert Group to collaboratively drive VSS forward!

With Graham Smethurst, Research Lead at BMW Group

Why did BMW adopt open-source development practices?

In October 2008, after successfully delivering another proprietary head unit via a task force, I sat with my senior manager to discuss lessons learned. We concluded that there had to be another way to develop in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) solutions. Why did we repeatedly develop the foundation software with different Tier 1s? Why wasn’t it possible to re-use the non-differentiating, customer-irrelevant portion of an IVI solution across Tier 1s and vehicle generations? Why did we always start from scratch? We agreed on an experiment, and in 2009, the experiment became the GENIVI Alliance.

BMW´s motivation behind GENIVI was the establishment of an open-source development approach for automotive IVI. The goal was to establish an automotive community that would collaborate and contribute towards enabling software reuse ‒ not only at BMW but across the industry sector. For BMW, the experiment worked. The delivery of BMW´s first open-source head unit in 2013 was painful, but the experience had a far-reaching, long-term strategic impact that strongly influenced the current BMW software organization and processes.

GENIVI facilitated an industry mindset shift in IVI development and established open source as the de facto approach. Building on this success, it’s logical that in 2021, the GENIVI membership decided there was a new challenge to be addressed ‒ data and the connected vehicle. COVESA was born. Many of the GENIVI members transitioned into COVESA, bringing with them the open-source knowledge accumulated over 12 years, ensuring that COVESA remains the go-to alliance for open-source best practices in automotive.

What would BMW like to achieve within COVESA?

Mobile phones and their associated ecosystems have set the benchmark for updating and refreshing digital functionality and experiences. The automotive industry is measured against this benchmark. All vehicle users, from the first to the last, will expect the latest personal digital experience in and around their vehicles. This is a challenge facing many OEMs and, therefore, is a problem best solved together. BMW intends to address this challenge collaboratively within the COVESA open-source community.

BMW has three primary targets within COVESA:

1. To enable improved development efficiency and speed of delivery by decoupling digital experience development and deployment from specific OEM foundation implementations. To achieve this, relevant vehicle network signals must be described in a standard and governed data format that is applied by all OEMs. A combination of the COVESA Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS) with defined access methods and interfaces can enable consistent, secure, and privacy-compliant data access at relevant vehicle touchpoints.
2. To ease the integration of consumer ecosystems, apps, and services into the vehicle digital experience by avoiding fragmentation when implementing extensions or functional enhancements to solutions such as AOSP ‒ with the aim being to ensure consistency across OEMs.
3. To inspire. A car is an element within mobility solutions, but data from vehicles alone is insufficient to deliver a compelling multimodal mobility experience to the user. Ideally, the example set by the COVESA community will inspire other sectors of the mobility ecosystem (e.g., charging) to collaborate in data format and access standardization activities.

With Cindy L. Warner, Founder and CEO of 360ofme

What does your company do? What services or products do you provide?

360ofme exists to transform the paradigm of personal data ownership that rebuilds trust between ethical enterprises and consumers.

Our ethical data exchange platform enables an enterprise to comply with the growing regulatory environment for consumer data privacy laws while protecting the personal data of a consumer on their terms and in compliance with current laws.

We enable Consent, Control, Collaboration, and Context for the personal data of a consumer, as they endeavor to consume goods and services from enterprises. Our ethical, two-sided exchange goes beyond compliance, empowering a scalable and profitable ecosystem anchored in verified identities and user consent.

Why did you join COVESA, and how long has your company been a member?

We recently joined COVESA in October 2023 as we are in our first year as a startup. We are honored to be part of this community at the forefront of innovation for connected vehicles.

With 360ofme as the trusted privacy layer between the vehicle and the consumer, we empower enterprises such as OEMs to ensure their connected vehicles comply with data privacy regulations while generating revenue.  

We have a proprietary approach to consent management, identity assurance (knowing your customer), and sharing/monetization of a consumer’s data that facilitates a trusted exchange and enables a value realization for all parties.

What benefits does your participation in COVESA bring to your company and business? 

We are so very excited to be part of COVESA for three primary reasons: 1) To create and share thought leadership with members regarding consumer data privacy and how to effectively manage in the new environment, 2) To enable COVESA members to learn about our solution and how it can enable their enterprise, and 3) To support affinity groups in conjunction with COVESA, such as Women in Technology, Mobility or Data.

Which COVESA collaborative project(s) or Birds of a Feather (BoF) is your company engaged in, and why is that beneficial to your business?

 360ofme is interested in leading a Consent Management collaborative project across connected car services.  The collaboration of these companies would empower OEMs and Tiers to better understand data privacy regulation as it pertains to building trust across their customers. We hope to contribute to accelerating the full potential of connected vehicles through ethical data privacy practices, which can drive the mobility ecosystem forward in ethical ways.

As the automotive industry undergoes a digital transformation driven by changing customer expectations, COVESA is aligning its efforts to address the key opportunities and challenges around evolving digital experiences and seamless integration required to meet consumers’ digital lifestyles and the broader mobility ecosystem.

Given the limitations of individual OEMs, suppliers, and partners, we understand the necessity for integrating solutions from various ecosystems to meet these changing consumer expectations. Together, we can achieve this through robust data models, industry frameworks, standardized APIs, and flexible, interoperable solutions.

Addressing Core Challenges

To begin the foundational work of addressing digital expectations in the automotive industry, COVESA is concentrating on three core challenges, each pivotal in shaping the future of connected vehicles:

1. Challenge 1 – Keeping the In-Vehicle Digital Experience Up to Date
2. Challenge 2 – Embracing the Customer’s Digital Life
3. Challenge 3 – Integrating Vehicles into Broader Mobility Solutions

We dive into these three critical challenges in detail in our latest white paper, “Unlocking the Potential of Connected Vehicles with COVESA.” As a collaborative force in the automotive industry, COVESA is at the forefront of revolutionizing the connected vehicle sector. To better understand how COVESA is transforming the connected vehicle landscape, we invite you to read more in our latest white paper!

With all that happened in COVESA this year, my only solution is to do my best to summarize succinctly some of my personal highlights from COVESA’s activities during 2023 and thank each of you and your organizations for making this year the best year ever for COVESA!!

In a rough, chronological list, here are some of the many highlights:

Kicked Off 2023 with CES and New Board Members

With 65 tables/booths and around 1,800 attendees, the COVESA hosted yet another successful CES Showcase and Reception (see pix) … and the CES 2024 Showcase is on track to exceed those numbers! During the show, VSS adoption was indicated by AWS Fleetwise, Blackberry IVY, remotiveLabs, Ricardo, Sonatus and several others.  What a great start to the year!

COVESA welcomed Aptiv, RTI, and Stellantis to serve on the Board of Directors during its March Annual Board Meeting.

Another New Group, A Successful Member Meeting and A New VSS Release

Automotive AOSP App Framework Standardization Expert Group launched in April and has consistently made progress on a set of early milestones.

COVESA gathered in Porto, Portugal for what became the most enjoyable reception (see pix) in our history (World of Wine terrace) and over 200 participants heard the impressive story of an EV journey from Cologne to Porto, with all the accompanying range anxiety.

The Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS) released version 4.0 in May. VSS continues to see adoption across the industry as evidenced by the spotlight series of adoption stories told by several members.

Highlights from June included another excellent Showcase and Reception at the AutoTech: Detroit event as well as the first face-to-face workshop of the Automotive AOSP App Framework Standardization Expert Group.

In July, COVESA leaders gathered with leaders from AUTOSAR, Eclipse SDV, and SOAFEE to envision how to team together on the software defined vehicle. This important collaboration will have a presence during the CES Showcase in January 2024, including demonstrators from ETAS and Tietoevry showing the integration of technologies from all four organizations.

New Members & COVESA Collaboration Momentum

Over the summer, COVESA enjoyed welcoming new members GM (July) and Mbition (August). Both OEMs have been active including a contribution of uServices from GM and consistent contribution by Mbition to the IFEX project as part of COVESA’s focus on common vehicle interfaces.

Back by popular demand, the vsomeip project restarted in September with several new contributions to this historical and significant open project in the past few months.

October’s All Member Meeting in Troy, Michigan surprised us all with 340(!) in attendance, the continuation of BoFs for Commercial Vehicles and Vehicle Commerce and discussions about a new project leveraging VSS in road safety applications.

Wishing You Happy Holidays

This year has been amazing, and I have another list of equally impressive highlights (and apologies if I did not list your favorite), but I should close and wish you all a happy holiday season!

Hoping to see you in Las Vegas for COVESA’s CES Showcase and Reception on 9 January (6:00-9:00 pm) at the Bellagio ballroom. For more information on that event, contact Mike Nunnery.

With Dr. James J. Hunt, Co-Founder, CEO, and CTO of aicas GmbH

What does your company do? What services, or products, do you provide?  

 aicas is a global high-tech company that develops embedded IoT and edge-to-cloud solutions that run securely and enable new business models and processes across cloud and edge infrastructures. Major industrial companies and leading automotive manufacturers use aicas EdgeSuite solutions such as JamaicaCAR and JamaicaVM to access and control edge devices and their data.

Why did you join COVESA and how long has your company been a member?

aicas joined COVESA in January 2023. As a long-time automotive software supplier, we are proud to contribute to the digital software revolution in the automotive sector by being part of the global COVESA network and working with renowned companies such as Bosch, BMW Group, Ford Motor Company, and Wind River to shape the future technologies of connected vehicles and the mobility ecosystem. We look forward to contributing to COVESA standards.

VSS provides the industry with open data definition for signals for application in and around vehicles. It unifies proprietary definitions associated with specific vehicle buses such as CAN and AUTOSAR Signals. As such, it fits well with our edge-to-cloud solutions. In the working groups, we are discussing best practices to develop even better solutions for the future of global transportation.

We plan to contribute, not only to the data model, but also transport mechanisms and data acquisition plan definitions. VISS is a fine transport protocol for cloud applications, but it does not extend well to communication with the vehicle. Dynamically defined and deployed data acquisition plans are essential for ensuring the sending of the correct data. Our goal is to improve the use of live data and shape future connected vehicle technologies in the mobility ecosystem.

What benefits does your participation in COVESA bring to your company and business? 

We have only been a member of COVESA since the beginning of 2023, but we have already evaluated both integrating VSS into our products and the VSOME/IP project. We have also shared how we collect live vehicle data with our customers and where we see the future with live demonstrations at the last two COVESA All Member Meetings in Porto and at AMM in Detroit.

These demonstrations have attracted a lot of attention and the response has been consistently positive. We are networking with key industry players, jointly developing ideas for CV solutions and raising our profile. Through COVESA projects, we can continue to drive innovation and progress in the automotive industry, creating a better future for the industry and delivering better products and services to our customers, which means delivering data-driven solutions for the automotive sector.

Membership in COVESA will combine aicas' software and automotive expertise with the capabilities and teams of some of the largest OEMs and first-tier suppliers of operating systems, middleware, hardware, and services. Working with COVESA members, aicas is addressing the challenges of the future of automotive software, such as achieving cost efficiencies in software development and deployment with secure over-the-air updates and platformization to scale, and creating value from vehicle data for monetization, often referred to as data-as-a-service.

Which COVESA collaborative project(s) or Birds of a Feather (BoF) is your company engaged in and why is that beneficial to your business?

COVESA’s expert groups focus on standardizing vehicle interfaces and advancing common specifications for data interoperability, such as the Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS). aicas is well positioned to contribute to these initiatives and actively participate in shaping key interoperability standards. The aicas team has already demonstrated how VSS can be leveraged in vehicle applications by dynamically adding VSS concepts into its products.

Applying adaptive and secure methods for selecting and delivering vehicle data is the cornerstone of software-defined vehicle development. aicas is proud to lend its experience to COVESA’s expert groups, working together to develop new technologies for a seamless transition to the next-generation vehicle.

With Piotr Romanowski, Lead Business Developer & Delivery Manager at Tietoevry

What does your company do? What services, or products, do you provide?

Tietoevry is a leading IT services and software company that provides a wide range of digital services, solutions, and consulting to help businesses innovate and transform in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. 

Within Tietoevry's automotive division, we provide comprehensive support to our customers in the field of automotive software development for current and future software-defined vehicles. Our areas of expertise include solutions from the following domains: Digital Cockpit, High-Performance Controllers, Connected Vehicle, Smart Mobility, and Automotive Processes Excellence.

Why did you join COVESA and how long has your company been a member?

Modern automotive software platforms have become extremely complex. We firmly believe that addressing this complexity necessitates strategic collaboration, fostering robust partnerships, and a commitment to open-source software solutions. That’s why we decided to join COVESA (that time GENIVI) in 2019 which seems to address all the above topics.

Additionally, drawing upon our extensive hands-on experience in the development of cutting-edge automotive platforms for leading automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, we recognized the valuable contribution we could make to COVESA by sharing our expertise and collaborating with fellow members.

What benefits does your participation in COVESA bring to your company and business? 

We view COVESA as a strategic partner in the automotive industry, as well as for our company. Our active participation in this consortium allows us to gain an in-depth understanding of industry-proven open-source solutions and the cutting-edge technologies adopted by industry-leading companies. On the other hand, our involvement enables us to identify the prevailing needs and challenges that these industry players face.

Which COVESA collaborative project(s) or Birds of a Feather (BoF) is your company engaged in and why is that beneficial to your business?
From the very beginning, we leveraged the expertise of our top engineers to actively participate in the Android Automotive Special Interest Group (SIG) within COVESA. We recognized that our extensive experience in this domain would bring substantial benefits to all stakeholders involved. Our team played a pivotal role in contributing to two Android Automotive PoCs, focusing on audio and vehicle data management (Audio HAL, Vehicle HAL).

We are delighted to witness new initiatives emerging in the realm of Android Automotive, such as AOSP App Framework Standardization, and we are eager to support BMW and other involved partners in activities within this domain. Additionally, we actively advocate for the VSS project, as we firmly believe it is a crucial solution for addressing the industry's need for standardized vehicle data. We’re also using VSS in our Automotive Demonstration Platform (ADP) as the key factor for routing vehicle data within distributed operating systems.

As a member-driven organization, COVESA serves as a community for discussing and aligning on essential technology approaches and for new ways of adopting or extending COVESA deliverables like the Vehicle Signal Specification (VSS).  During the Troy All Member Meeting in October 2023, a number of such discussions advancing COVESA's efforts to deliver common approaches to its members and to the industry at large for adoption. Not all discussions resulted in clear guidance, but in each case, progress was made in understanding options and approaches that should be considered in determining COVESA work outputs.

Common Vehicle Interface Discussion Gains Momentum

In the past year, the interest and efforts to define Common Vehicle Interfaces in-car to ease integration and interoperability for the benefit of consumers, automakers, and tech companies has grown strongly within COVESA.  In July, the Data Expert Group held a workshop to begin aligning the various thinking, efforts, and projects.  The alignment and discussion continued and gained momentum at the Troy AMM with a working session and the following member contributions and presentations (in order of presentation):

• From Concept to Reality: How Data-Centric Vehicle APIs Shape Software Defined Vehicle
• The Hierarchical Information Model (HIM) and an Interface Using It
• uServices – A Step towards a standardized vehicle interface for SDV

o   (GM Press Release)

• DDS and Data-Centric Communications

There are plenty of interface technologies and solutions, the challenge is for OEMs and ecosystem partners to coalesce around these in a way that enables and fosters a united ecosystem.  We are on our way, please take part, collaborate and contribute.  The Common Vehicle Interfaces discussion takes place every Tuesday.  See the Community Calendar for details.

Incubating Projects in COVESA

One of the highlights of the COVESA event in October was the serious conversations about several new initiatives within COVESA. For several months, the interest in commercial and off-road vehicles and their need for a common data model has been discussed. The Commercial Vehicle Birds of a Feather (BoF) met and discussed practical cases for the use of VSS in commercial vehicles. They looked carefully at important topics like fleet range prediction, fleet blueprint and consent management.

In parallel, another group of stakeholders including Stellantis has been driving for a new group in the Vehicle Experience and Content areas, including vehicle commerce. 

Finally, a very interesting set of sessions revolved around road safety and how commonly described vehicle data can play a critical role in saving lives.

If you have any questions about these emerging projects in COVESA, please contact Paul Boyes, COVESA Community Director.

With Trpko S. Blazevski, Global ICT & Digital - Global Digital Platforms and Head of Digital Innovation & Tech Scouting at Stellantis

What does your company do? What services, or products, do you provide?  

Stellantis NV (Stellantis), formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, is an automotive company, formed as a result of a merger with PSA Group. Stellantis is a constellation of 14 iconic automotive brands (Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, RAM, Vauxhall) and two mobility arms that are about more than transportation: they’re about moving people and making connections. As we transform into a sustainable mobility tech company, we are guided by the clear vision of our Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, which paves the way for Stellantis to achieve carbon net zero by 2038 and be second to none in value creation for all stakeholders. We are leading the charge in electrification and software development, with cutting-edge technologies at the heart of our products and services. Fully committed to our customers and backed by partners that are leaders in their industries, we aim to develop, engineer, manufacture, and scale the best breakthroughs in all facets of sustainable mobility from autonomous, connected, electrified, shared, and pre-owned vehicles to micro-mobility, commercial vehicles, and even electric aircraft. With a community of more than 160 nationalities, industrial operations in more than 30 countries, and customers in more than 130 markets, we are among the most diverse companies in the world and able to unite people and ideas across borders and cultures. Our passionate, talented, and diverse teams support our iconic brands in providing freedom of mobility tailored to every need.

Why did you join COVESA and how long has your company been a member?

In order to further our global reach and leadership in industry collaboration that will propel the exploration of innovative solutions, approaches, standards, and relationships in this new era of mobility that will help change the way society moves. To further realize our company goal of, “Powered By Our Diversity, We Lead The Way The World Moves.” We have been an active member of COVESA for approximately 1 year and hold a seat on the COVESA Board of Directors.

What benefits does your participation in COVESA bring to your company and business? 

COVESA enables the efficient integration of solutions across mobility technologies and adjacent industries alongside tech scouting of emerging and upcoming industry technologies; and startups deal flow that enables that technology. 

Which COVESA collaborative project(s) or Birds of a Feather (BoF) is your company engaged in and why is that beneficial to your business?

Stellantis is currently involved in the In-Vehicle Payment SIG, Vehicle Experience Group, EV Charging Event Data Aggregation Project, and the Automotive AOSP App Framework Expert Group.

We are also exploring and considering more involvement with the Commercial and Fleet Vehicle activities forming in COVESA, as well as VSS and Data Standardization, Automotive Cybersecurity, and Simulation/Digital Twin/Automotive AI.

Our membership in COVESA offers invaluable networking and connections to industry leaders and the start-up community and helps Stellantis in forging long-lasting engagements to realize our mission.

With Christoph Ludewig, VP OEM EMEA, and Ted Guild, Connectivity Standards Lead at Geotab

What does your company do? What services, or products, do you provide?

Geotab is a global leader in IoT (Internet of Things) and connected transportation technology, servicing 3.7M vehicles across the globe (07/2023) with 2,200 employees. The company specializes in providing advanced fleet management solutions for businesses of all sizes. Geotab's core offering revolves around vehicle data, captured either by an aftermarket device or a direct OEM connection. This data includes vehicle diagnostics, GPS location, fuel usage, driver behavior, and more. Geotab's platform then processes this information to generate actionable insights and reports, enabling businesses to optimize their fleet operations, improve safety, reduce fuel consumption, enhance maintenance practices, and increase overall efficiency.

Why did you join COVESA and how long has your company been a member?

Geotab believes that standardization enables innovation, as development energy and resources should be allocated to product development, not integration of heterogeneous systems. COVESA paves the path in this direction and Geotab is actively contributing to this.

What benefits does your participation in COVESA bring to your company and business? 

Geotab benefits from participating in COVESA in several ways, ensuring our and our customers (major fleet operators) perspectives are represented in technical solutions being discussed, proposing ideas towards those solutions, increasing our exposure as a thought leader in connected vehicle space, and establishing contacts for prospective business collaborations.

Which COVESA collaborative project(s) or Birds of a Feather (BoF) is your company engaged in and why is that beneficial to your business?

Geotab participates on COVESA’s Board of Directors, Vehicle Signal Specification, Data Expert Group, Technical Steering Team, AOSP Whitelabel Marketplace, EV Charge Event Aggregation, Vehicle Service Catalog, and Commercial Vehicles Birds of a Feather.

COVESA has been successful in convening core stakeholders across the industry, constructing thoughtful solutions, and promoting widespread adoption. We look forward to the continued success of this organization and are happy to be a part of it.