At the end of April 2026, the HAL4SDV project was represented at the 17th ITS European Congress 2026 in Istanbul. Our partner Edin Arnautovic (TTTech Auto) represented the project in the session “Software-defined vehicles: innovation, collaboration and competitiveness in the automotive industry”, expertly moderated by Peter Philler (AVL). The panel highlighted the transformative role of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) and how hardware abstraction and open-source collaboration are accelerating innovation across the automotive sector.

By adopting a "code-first" approach, the industry shifts from theoretical standardization to practical implementation using modular, safety-capable platforms. As architectures move toward centralized and zonal compute, complexity shifts from hardware to software, requiring "correct-by-design" approaches to ensure predictability. Key projects like HAL4SDV, FEDERATE, and TWIN- LOOP aim to create a shared European middleware ecosystem, reducing fragmentation through common interfaces and smooth migration from legacy E/E architectures. Furthermore, the Eclipse Foundation's vendor-neutral governance allows competing OEMs and Tier 1s to co-develop non-differentiating "plumbing." Replacing monolithic stacks with reusable building blocks-supported by EU innovation efforts-reduces vendor lock-in and enables OEM-specific differentiation on a reliable foundation. Predictable platform behavior, achieved through deterministic scheduling and automated deployment, significantly cuts integration costs and improves time-to-market. Ultimately, SDVs deliver a personalized, up-to-date user experience through superior scalability.

The session was organized by Sara Garcia, Spain. Speakers:

• Edin ARNAUTOVIC, Austria

• Eric ARMENGAUD, Austria

• Stefano PERSI, France

• Velimira GRAU, Belgium

The session wrapped up with interactive audience polls and a dynamic fishbowl discussion, giving participants a direct voice in shaping the conversation.