I’m also in the vehicle computer industry. We work with the OEMs and Tier-1’s on IVI, ADAS and AV systems.
The biggest single hurdle, imo, is testing these systems. You can’t physically drive enough man hours to have coverage. You need to use other techniques to raise confidence to the levels necessary to sign off on it going to production (I assume you’re also using things like Matlab and Simulink?). I wouldn’t want to be that person, although I know some that are and will have to make such a decision at some point.
We’re also working on cyber security aspects. The whole Jeep thing has everyone (rightly) freaking out. We’re putting together best practices and architectures that will be far superior to what is being done to date. It is a cat-and-mouse game but automakers have been way too lazy (cheap) so far, which is changing (because of Jeep). By the time autonomous vehicles are hitting the road I think the hackability index will be very low. I’ve also been considering the benefits of virtualization for in-vehicle system security. ...but I must stop talking now, too many NDA’s ;)
I assume you’re in the Detroit area (?)
Hi! I was born in Detroit, but live in the country now and work in a small Midwest town with a large electronics assembly plant. That’s why I warn people that this is not some far-off thing - I’m in factory, not some prototype engineering lab. (And as such, I’m not really familiar with the tools you mention, except by vague rumor ;-)
So you know when I’m involved, products will be rolling off the assembly lines soon. Ready or not, society...