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Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

arstechnica.com

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Re: Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

#131

Post by TwoBit »

castratikron wrote: post #88
dognotdog wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Balkanization is about right. In my experience developing driver assistance systems, there are enormous efforts spent on political turf wars instead of proper design and engineering. This is not surprising, as the team structures, at least as of a few years ago, were traditionally set up with tradtional manufactirng in mind, around parts and control modules, while the functionality exploded (within 1 or 2 generation…

I've worked in that environment before. It doesn't help when upper management has no software or hardware background whatsoever (e.g. MBA or "sales" or whatever) and in that case the only way they see things is in terms of dollars. One time I was working on a new project and I wanted to put an SD card on the board so that we could have a log. I was asked how much the log was "worth" so that they could justify the cos…

seems like a reasonable question to me.

Re: Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

#132

Post by dreamcompiler »

amelius wrote: post #57

> Senger also revealed that VW Group will be using Android for future versions of the MIB infotainment platform Yikes, can't they find an OS that isn't laden with adtech?

Wow. I just had a flash of my car playing me its own ads on the sound system in the middle of my roadtrip mix.

Who am I kidding? It's probably already happening.

Re: Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

#133

Post by kozak »

codeulike wrote: post #9
Etheryte wrote: post #7

The key takeaway for me here is that they want to build an Android-based OS that will run both user applications and, say, your traction control on the same stack. Given the very mixed history of Android security, updates, and more, I simply can't see how this would end well.

Android will just be for the infotainment subsystem.

As first it's only for the infotainment system. And the rear view camera is already a part it. And then at some point the manufacturer lets you adjust your adaptive cruise control through it. Then more and more critical things are integrated into what used to be "infotainment", until very soon the entire car can't run without the screen.

Re: Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

#134

Post by otroqueccorre »

OMFG, In my opinion, the last thing I want is that google can havve all the data of my car too. Too much. I think the next step is to go into the thermomix to know what I'm eating and how I'm feeding my family. Or to monitor my bed to know how many time I have sex. Ah no, I forgot that this is happening because of Google Assistant... -_-

Re: Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

#135

Post by mrguyorama »

opencl wrote: post #118
mrguyorama wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's because it saves several dollars on the BOM, and really an oven probably doesn't need a hyper accurate clock

Grid frequency actually is hyper accurate in a lot of places. i.e. in the Western US the grid is regulated such that a clock running off it will never deviate more than 2 seconds from the atomic clock derived National Bureau of Standards time [1]. Compare to a typical quartz oscillator which will gain or lose around 15 seconds per month. [1] https://www.naesb.org//pdf2/weq_bklet_011505_tec_mc.pdf

This is being pedantic but I guess I was saying it's not hyper accurate in terms of time keeping, even though it's pretty accurate in practical terms.

Also, I guess that means my devices with clocks that drift more than two seconds, ie several full minutes, are actually using crystal oscillators? I guess it makes sense for a microwave which needs second level granularity, but that seems odd to me.

Re: Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

#136

Post by kozak »

codeulike wrote: post #40
HNLurker2 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Alongside that, they do try and find software fixes to improve the existing fleet, I would be scared if a software engineer would make the OS to confirm that I want to brake

Brakes and steering remain mechanical edit: mainly I was thinking of Tesla here. obv there are exceptions

Electronic brakeforce distribution means that when the ABS module is not working, the car will brake worse than the same car with no ABS and purely mechanical brakeforce distribution.

Re: Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

#137

Post by potta_coffee »

alexis_fr wrote: post #128
PorterDuff wrote: post #105

It's just my own ignorance speaking (probably), but I can't say that I like the idea of Android getting near/intertwined with mission critical systems. Hopefully 'infotainment' implies something that is well clear of 'stopping' and the like...although I'd just as soon that they dropped the 'tainment' part and simply provided an interface for diagnostics, HVAC, &tc. What bugs me the most about the 'tainment' part is t…

The same was probably said 15 years ago about the computerization of the car engine and their rapid deprecation. Did the average lifespan of a car decrease since then? How ridiculous is it to drive a 4WD into the desert, full of electronics that can’t be repaired and where a single chip can cost 300$ and has to be shipped from mainland America... So yep, with car computerization they reduced the lifespan from 30 to 1…

It kinda depends on the manufacturer. Some have done a better job than others.

Re: Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

#138

Post by growlist »

grecy wrote: post #87
vgoh1 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wholeheartedly disagree that automotive progress, on the mechanical side, has slowed down. The ride quality, handling, fit and finish, noise & vibe, chassis rigidity, fuel economy, reliability, have all been improving. Go back 10 years, go back 10 years before that, etc., and you will see incremental improvements. Beyond that, look at how much more "stuff" comes in cars today, but for the same amount of money. That…

I wholeheartedly disagree with you. haha Go back to a BMW of 1990, and it's not that much different from a new car today. Fuel injection, air bags, ABS. Internal combustion engine, exhaust, radiator, transmission. etc. etc. Heck, even back then it was perfectly normal for a car to get better than 10L/100km (23.5mpg) There have been incremental improvements for sure, but in all honesty it's the same thing, just tweake…

Try driving one of the latest cars with all modern driver aids etc. for a few hundred miles: lane departure, blind spot warning, parking sensors, automated parking assist, distance sensors etc. Include routing around traffic congestion and a requirement to stop halfway for some unexpected reason, necessitating use of in-car navigation system.

Then try doing the same with a 1990 BMW. Unless you are being deliberately obtuse you will miss the driver aids etc., as they make the whole experience so much easier. Old cars are simply nowhere near the latest cars for safety, comfort, ease of use etc.

Re: Volkswagen’s plan to create a new car operating system

#140

Post by potta_coffee »

oblio wrote: post #82
saiya-jin wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I cry every time I have to use some cheaper new rental car compared to my 15 year old bmw 3-series (not even m-series, just regular one with diesel engine on top of that). Sluggish, puddy garbage of an experience compared to pure joy I can experience with my own. I would say improvements were done to make things more cost-effective to increase margins, but not necessarily better cars per se. Other things are wi…

1. Making things more accessible is not a crime, instead it's one of the biggest enablers of our age. See Henry Ford and Ford Model T. 2. Compare apples to apples. How does a new BMW 3-Series compare to your 15 year old one? My guess is, it probably compares favorably.

The new cars have electronic steering, electronic gearboxes, electronic everything. That much tech essentially eliminates "road feel". Some older cars are actually much more interesting to drive, despite their flaws.
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