Accenture and Google Cloud have announced a major automotive software milestone. Volvo Cars has become the lead industry partner for Horizon. This is an open-source software development platform. Consequently, it helps car makers and automotive suppliers build, test, and deploy software faster. Specifically, it targets the Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS). As a result, engineering teams can now work more efficiently.
The Horizon platform combines several tools into one place. For instance, it includes cloud-native development tools and virtual testing environments. Additionally, it features AI-assisted workflows. Therefore, car makers can deliver high-quality software at greater speed. Meanwhile, engineering productivity also improves significantly.
As the lead partner, Volvo Cars is migrating its global AAOS environment to the Horizon platform. Thus, its engineers will gain access to faster workflows. Moreover, they will use virtual testing environments and AI-powered tools. Ultimately, this frees teams to focus on building better in-car experiences.
“We’re building some of the most complex products in the world, which requires a development environment built to match,” said Gregor Zetsche, Head of Connected Experience at Volvo Cars. “As Horizon’s lead industry partner, we can directly solve our toughest engineering challenges and empower our teams to deliver new experiences faster than ever.”
Furthermore, insights from this partnership will help refine the platform. In turn, this will expand generative AI capabilities across the automotive sector.
Faster Testing and Lower Development Costs
Modern vehicles now offer richer digital experiences. For example, these include navigation, media, and voice assistants. Also, connected services and over-the-air updates are increasingly common. Hence, manufacturers need quicker ways to build and validate software at scale.
The Horizon platform addresses these demands directly. Notably, it enables up to 9x faster software testing through virtual Cuttlefish-based environments. Additionally, infotainment feature development costs drop by up to 40%. Meanwhile, intelligent caching cuts build times from two hours to just minutes.
Furthermore, remote access lets developers work from anywhere worldwide. Similarly, virtual workbenches speed up onboarding significantly. Instead of waiting weeks for hardware, engineers can launch environments within seconds.
“Horizon enables a faster, more flexible and efficient way to deliver software-defined vehicle features. Its standardized, repeatable and scalable processes help deliver reliable, high-quality software products, while significantly reducing time to market,” said Juergen Reers, Global Automotive & Mobility Lead, Accenture.
“Software now defines the automotive brand,” added Henry Bzeih, Global Director, Automotive Industry, Google Cloud. “Horizon on Google Cloud gives Volvo Cars the ability to move faster while releasing high-quality software and features on a cadence that matches the expectations of modern mobility.”
Ultimately, Accenture and Google Cloud plan to expand Horizon further. Alongside Volvo Cars, they are already engaging other automotive and industrial organizations.
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News Source: Businesswire.com
