Introduction
As software plays an increasingly central role in vehicles, Continental AG released the CAEdge cloud-edge computing framework to shorten development time for software-defined vehicles (SDV) at the automotive electronics level.
This article summarizes the main aspects of the CAEdge framework. In a software-defined vehicle, vehicle functions are implemented primarily in software rather than being tightly bound to specific hardware. Decoupling software from hardware enables rapid and continuous feature development and updates throughout the vehicle lifecycle. Vehicles are evolving from closed systems into software-centric platforms that are part of the broader Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem.
Note: Materials from Continental are detailed and may be useful for engineers and developers.
Part 1 — CAEdge Framework Architecture
The CAEdge framework combines cloud computing and edge computing to form a software architecture for software-defined vehicles. The main architectural elements include:
- Cloud operating system and middleware
- Server and regional architecture
- Software solutions
- Software-hardware separation
- Information security
- In-vehicle connectivity
- Data security
- Continuous testing, validation, and development in the cloud
- Integrated virtualization and digital twin
- Over-the-air updates
- Lifecycle management
Part 2 — CAEdge Framework Components
CAEdge is provided by Continental Automotive Technologies. The framework includes the following key components:
- Continental cloud (CAEdge) framework: enables development, integration, and deployment for software-defined vehicles.
- Automotive software platform: provides cloud development frameworks and cloud enablement capabilities.
- Data center: supports high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud development for functions and applications.
- High-performance computing platform (HPC): used for virtualization and simulated development environments.
- Cloud enablement: supports composition of software functions and in-vehicle networks.
- Software function composition: integrates various in-vehicle software functions, including safety, infotainment, and sensors.
Use Cases and Advantages
CAEdge is designed to simplify and accelerate automotive software development. Key advantages include:
- Evaluate software architectures without building physical devices.
- Run or deploy new features on any physical device within a day.
- All developers target the same reference hardware.
- Simulate driving 1 million kilometers on a desktop within a day.
- Simplified and accelerated in-vehicle software development.
Business Model
The CAEdge framework supports several business and delivery models:
- CAEdge evaluation: vECU creator for simulating automotive software architectures.
- CAEdge run/deploy: HDK 2.0/3.1 hardware development kits, cloud-based workbench, and Continental partner portal.
- CAEdge driven: data-driven development including automated analysis and preprocessing.
- CAEdge shared: a hardware farm providing remote access to hardware resources.
Summary
The CAEdge framework offers a cloud-edge approach to automotive software development, combining virtualization, cloud-based testing, and hardware-in-the-loop resources to accelerate the digital transformation of vehicle software development.
