Toyota and Apex.ai Partner for Autonomous Vehicle OS

The Growing Importance of Software in Modern Vehicles

As automotive manufacturers transition towards fully electric and technologically advanced vehicles, a significant challenge has emerged: software reliability. Specifically, the absence of bugs and the ability to deploy over-the-air updates are proving crucial for customer satisfaction. This issue impacted the initial launches of models like the Volkswagen ID.3, the 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Apex.AI: A New Approach to Automotive Software

Founded by Bosch alumni Jan Becker and Dejan Pangercic, Apex.AI has dedicated the past four years to developing a refined robot operating system. Their goal is to provide automakers with the necessary tools to seamlessly integrate software into vehicles and ensure dependable application performance.

Recently, Apex.AI achieved a safety certification validating its software development kit (SDK) for use in production vehicles. This accomplishment has led to partnerships with both Toyota and the Japanese tech startup, Tier IV.

Partnerships and Integration

Toyota’s Woven Planet Group is incorporating the Apex.OS SDK into its Arene vehicle development platform. This integration will focus on safety-critical applications, accelerating autonomous software development and its eventual deployment in production models.

Separately, Tier IV, the originator of the Autoware open-source autonomous driving software, announced its intention to utilize Apex.AI’s software stack for safety-critical autonomous systems.

The Rise of the Software-Defined Vehicle

“Over the last year, a clear trend has emerged: automakers are striving for what they term a ‘software-defined vehicle’ in order to compete with Tesla,” Becker stated in a recent discussion.

Manufacturers are shifting away from numerous individual electric control units (ECUs) distributed throughout a vehicle. Instead, they are adopting a centralized approach with fewer, more powerful computers, where software handles all functionalities.

Collaboration and Standardization

This transition could involve hundreds, or even thousands, of software developers working on a single vehicle. “Effective collaboration necessitates a shared interface, preventing developers from working in isolation,” Becker explained. “Apex.OS now provides this common abstraction layer, capable of addressing virtually all vehicle functions.”

Investment and Growth

Apex.AI’s innovative toolkit has garnered interest from both private and strategic investors. The company secured $15.5 million in Series A funding in 2018.

Subsequent strategic investments have come from Airbus Ventures, JLR’s InMotion Ventures, Toyota, and Volvo Group. While Becker did not disclose the specific amounts of these investments, he confirmed the company is currently raising funds for a Series B round.

From Open Source to Safety Certification

Apex.OS builds upon the foundation of the open-source Robot Operating System (ROS), commonly used in research and development for autonomous vehicles. Apex.AI’s primary objective was to rewrite the code to meet stringent functional safety and real-time processing requirements.

The SDK recently received functional safety certification from TÜV NORD, confirming its suitability for use in production vehicles.

Overcoming Perceived Limitations of Open Source

A common belief previously held that open-source code could not be certified. Apex.AI dedicated a year to achieving this certification.

“A software failure on a laptop is an inconvenience, but a crash in a vehicle’s safety-critical system can have devastating consequences,” Becker emphasized. “We focused on developing robust software that safeguards against system failures. The certification validates our success, as our software achieves failure rates so low they are statistically immeasurable.”