Central Computing Platforms for Software-Defined Vehicles

Schaeffler and ThunderSoft have entered into a strategic partnership to jointly develop and commercialize central vehicle computing platforms designed for next-generation automotive E/E architectures. The cooperation focuses on modular and scalable systems intended to support automotive manufacturers in the transition toward software-defined and AI-enabled vehicles.

The collaboration addresses the increasing shift within the automotive industry from distributed electronic control unit (ECU) architectures toward centralized computing systems capable of consolidating multiple vehicle functions on shared hardware platforms. These architectures are becoming increasingly relevant as vehicle manufacturers integrate advanced driver assistance systems, infotainment functions, energy management and connected mobility services into unified software environments.

Transition to Centralized Vehicle Architectures
High-performance vehicle computers are designed to replace multiple distributed ECUs by consolidating different vehicle domains into centralized processing units. This approach supports more flexible software deployment, centralized data management and scalable electrical/electronic architectures across multiple vehicle platforms.

Within the partnership, Schaeffler contributes expertise in automotive electronics development, industrialization and high-volume manufacturing. The company’s experience includes safety-critical driving functions, chassis technologies, powertrain systems, as well as battery and energy management solutions.

ThunderSoft complements the cooperation with competencies in central vehicle software platforms, operating systems and high-performance computing architectures used in infotainment and driver assistance applications. The company also contributes access to an established automotive software and technology ecosystem.

Integrated Hardware and Software Development
The joint development approach is intended to enable functions previously distributed across multiple control units to operate on centralized computing platforms. According to the partners, this can reduce system complexity, simplify integration processes and support more efficient scaling across vehicle models and regional markets.

The planned platforms are designed to integrate driving functions, infotainment systems and driver assistance applications on a shared hardware basis while supporting flexible software deployment and future vehicle updates.

“Central vehicle computers are developing into a key technology for software-defined vehicles,” said Thomas Stierle. “Together with ThunderSoft’s software and platform expertise, we are creating scalable computing solutions, which consolidate safety-critical driving functions, driver assistance systems, and infotainment on a shared hardware basis.”

“Centralized computing platforms are becoming the cornerstone of intelligent vehicles,” said Xu Dongchao. “Through our collaboration with Schaeffler, we aim to accelerate innovation in software-defined vehicles and provide flexible, high-performance platforms for global deployment.”

Regional Deployment Strategy
The initial focus of the cooperation will be on the Asia-Pacific region and Europe, with longer-term expansion planned for China and North America. According to the companies, regional regulatory requirements for connected and software-defined vehicles will be incorporated into the platform architecture from the early development stages.

Through the partnership, Schaeffler aims to strengthen its position in centralized E/E system architectures and expand its activities in software-driven mobility technologies.

Edited by Maria Brueva, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.schaeffler.com