SofDCar Tech & Result Summit
Final event of SofDCar research project on November 14, 2024
Research Focus: Intelligent Transportation Systems and Logistics
On November 14, 2024, the SofDCar Tech & Result Summit was held in the Arena 2036 in Stuttgart, marking the successful completion of the trend-setting SofDCar research project. The project was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the European Commission’s NextGenerationEU program with around 43 million euros. It addressed the growing challenges of the automotive industry, in which software increasingly becomes a vehicle’s key differentiator. Classic development processes come up against their limits here, and this is where SofDCar comes in.
Innovative solutions for modern vehicle development
With a strong focus on digital sustainability, the efficient use of data, re-training of AI, higher development cycles, and data privacy protection, the project succeeded in developing innovative solutions that provide a decisive impetus for modern vehicle development. A particular highlight was the development of digital twins – virtual models that enable precise simulation and validation of software configurations for a wide range of vehicle variants. These strengthen flexibility and efficiency in homologation and software development.
Key role of the FZI including practical tests
The FZI Research Center for Information Technology played a central role in developing and validating these technologies. It enabled practical testing in real-world environments such as the Test Area Autonomous Driving Baden-Württemberg. The security solutions and methods developed for software-over-the-air and safeguarding critical vehicle functions will considerably strengthen the German automotive industry in the long term.
SofDCar Summit: results and decisions for the future of mobility
The SofDCar Summit presented the results and served as a platform for discussing future challenges and technologies. With the lessons learned, the German automotive industry will remain a key player in shaping the software-defined future of mobility.
About the project:
Project coordination:
Project partners:
- Robert BOSCH GmbH
- Boole Works GmbH
- Research Institute for Automotive Engineering and Powertrain Systems Stuttgart (FKSF)
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
- Mercedes-Benz AG
- P3 digital services GmbH
- T-Systems International GmbH
- University of Stuttgart
- Vector Informatik GmbH
- ZF Friedrichshafen AG
- Landesagentur e-mobil BW GmbH
Funded by:
About the FZI
The FZI Research Center for Information Technology, with headquarters in Karlsruhe and a branch office in Berlin, is a non-profit institution for information technology application research and technology transfer. It delivers the latest scientific findings in information technology to companies and public institutions and qualifies individuals for academic and business careers or the leap into self-employment. Supervised by professors from various faculties, the research groups at the FZI develop interdisciplinary concepts, software, hardware, and system solutions for their clients and implement the solutions found as prototypes. The FZI House of Living Labs provides a unique research environment for application research. The FZI is an innovation partner of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and a strategic partner of the German Informatics Society (GI).