Dr. Brösse lists a few concrete requirements and what that means for the E/E architecture:

The need for high data rates and easy internet access for IoT and cloud applications leads to the implementation of 1Gbit Ethernet and a switch to an IP-based communication as well as a built-in 5G connection.

For the functional safety, BMW works with redundant energy board nets and communication paths. For the security the car company has implemented state-of-the-art security measurements at different layers of the applications.

Another advantage of implementing an IP-based communication ist the possibility to create a software oriented architecture. This allows an easier replacement of components during the lifecycle of a car.

In order to control the communication Dr. Brösse estimates that more compute units will be implemented within a car: "Whether these are two oder more compute units per car, I don't know. The main question is, if all cars, from small to big, will have the same amount or if we will have different numbers of compute units, depending on the car's size and complexity."

Matthias Baumgartner

„When looking at the changes in our industry it might help to focus on the customer and his needs“, opens Dr. Brösse.
This is a statement that is heard quite often at such conferences, but when looking at BMWs business portfolio this is not an empty phrase: ChargeNow, DriveNow, ParkNow and ReachNow – these are all BMW companies.
BMW has understood that it is a mobility provider and has created a huge ecosystem around it’s historical core business: The automotive.

This leads to the question, how must the E/E architecture adopt for this new approach?

Matthias Baumgartner