Software Engineering for Off-Highway Vehicles

Intelligence, digitization and automation of off-highway machinery can only be realized with complex E/E architectures. Professional systems engineering is also essential to manage the complexity. Success hinges on getting the software design right. As an off-highway engineering partner, we support your efforts to develop platform-based software and systems engineered to minimize time to market while maximizing software quality in the field.

What we do at a glance:

• Model-based systems engineering (requirements engineering and software architecture design)
• Model-based software development
• AI Assisted Engineering – increasing efficiency from requirements analysis to testing with AI
• Software design and architecture
• Support for platform-independent development – even for proprietary software (Embedded Linux, Autosar, ROS, Hypervisor-RTOS, OSEK)
• Customized integration platform based on CI/CD

Learn more about our software and systems engineering expertise.

Assistance systems and autonomous functions increase the efficiency of work processes thus contributing significantly to sustainability in construction and agriculture. Reliable environment detection is the necessary requirement for the realization of such highly complex functions.

We support you from concept development, sensor selection and prototypical implementation to production-ready software and validation with our comprehensive knowledge of the entire effect chain – from the sensor and evaluation to the control and actuation of the actuators.

What we do at a glance:

• Object and environment detection – 3D terrain mapping
  (driveability analysis and object recognition)
• Localisation and mapping
• Sensor fusion
• Environment and sensor simulations
• Trajectory calculation and vehicle control
• Development of effective AI applications (data engineering, computer vision, ML-Ops Pipeline, consulting)

Learn more about in our articel “When machines learn to see: Smart assistance systems for rough terrain“.

Functional safety is becoming increasingly important in the development process and the development of safe and reliable products as a result of the growing complexity of E/E systems, the increasing number of autonomous functions, electrification and the use of hydrogen. Cataloging and classifying hazards, defining and implementing risk mitigation practices, verifying and documenting actions – we can help you throughout the entire process towards achieving functional safety.

What we do at a glance:

• ISO 25119, ISO 18497 and ISO13849-compliant hazard and risk analysis (HARA)
• Functional and technical safety concepts, and process consulting
• Embedding safety mechanisms in hardware and software
• Process consulting
• SOTIF (ISO 21448): Tackling SOTIF-related risks
• Machinery Regulation (MR) (EU) 2023/1230 consulting

Learn more about our functional safety expertise.

The amount of software within construction and agricultural machinery is growing significantly. This increasing growth also offers more and more potential for attackers who want to access sensitive data or manipulate machine functions. Therefore, cyber security becomes progressively important for connected off-highway machines. With the drafting of the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and the Radio Equipment Directive (RED), the European Union has recognized the need of providing legislation for this topic in order to protect owners, operators and machine manufactures.
 
The CRA demands evidence for considering cyber security in the development process of the product as well as for vulnerability and incident management during the expected lifetime of the product has to be generated by manufacturers.
 
As your engineering partner we advise and support you to comply with the regulations and OEM requirements based on our strategy consulting services. We also assist you in the incorporation of security processes, risk assessment, concept development and implementation, as well as testing, complying with standards as ISO/SAE 21434 and the upcoming ISO 24882.

Gain comprehensive insights into the topic of cyber security in agriculture in the article “Facing challenges holistically“.

What we do at a glance:

• Cyber Security Strategy Consulting
• Cyber Security Process Consulting
• Cyber security check up and baseline concept
• ISO 21434-compliant threat and risk analyses (TARA)
• Security and protection concepts
• Services to implement security mechanisms in hardware (e.g. HSM) and software
• Penetration testing, fuzzing
• Machinery Regulation (MR) (EU) 2023/1230

Learn more about our cyber security engineering services and cyber security consulting, and the changes introduced by the EU Machinery Regulation (MR) 2023/1230, which will come into force in January 2027.

Increasing digitalisation and automation of workflows in the construction and agriculture industries is making the use of IoT solutions and cloud applications, as well as the use of data analytics via AI, more and more necessary. As your engineering partner for agriculture and construction 4.0, we are here to help you in the transformation and deployment of new technologies and processes in end-to-end solution

What we do at a glance:

• Cloud computing
• Edge computing
• Data analytics and artificial intelligence
• Digital twin
• Predictive diagnostics and maintenance

Decarbonisation is playing an accelerating role in the construction and agricultural sectors in order to meet global sustainability goals. In addition to battery-electric concepts, hydrogen is gaining in importance as an energy source for alternative powertrain solutions. Get more information on safe hydrogen drives.
Our long-term experience in electric powertrain systems, in terms of control and safety design, enables us to support you in the electrification of your vehicles and machines and to help you make new technologies such as hydrogen manageable and safe.

What we do at a glance:

• Electrification
• Hybridization
• Battery and charge management
• Fuel cell and hydrogen combustion

Learn more about electromobility.