At ESWeek 2026, one of the leading global venues for embedded systems research, the HAL4SDV project, and Shift2SDV will contribute to a dedicated workshop titled: Workshop on Software-Defined Systems, From Vehicles to Embedded Platforms.

This workshop brings together researchers, industry experts, and European innovation projects to explore a simple but powerful idea: What if the principles behind software-defined vehicles could shape the future of all embedded systems? 

Why this matters

• Hardware and software are no longer tightly coupled 

• Software evolves continuously, not just at release 

• Systems run on high-performance, heterogeneous computing platforms 

These principles are now extending into robotics, industrial automation, and broader cyber-physical systems. In other words, we are moving from SDVs to SDS, software-defined systems. 

And with that shift comes a new set of questions: 

• How do we design systems that scale across different hardware platforms? 

• How do we ensure interoperability across ecosystems? 

• What role do middleware and abstraction layers play in making this possible? 

At its core, the session focuses on the building blocks that make software-defined systems possible: 

• Architectures that support flexibility and scalability 

• Middleware and platform software that connect applications and hardware 

• Abstraction layers that hide complexity and enable portability 

• Toolchains that support continuous development and deployment 

The workshop is built on ongoing European R&D efforts, including: 

• HAL4SDV 

Creating a unified hardware abstraction framework, including virtualization and system software foundations for scalable SDV platforms

• Shift2SDV 

Developing a middleware and API framework to enable collaboration across the automotive value chain, supporting interoperability and portability across heterogeneous platforms 

Together, these initiatives are tackling one of the hardest problems in modern engineering: how to make complex systems work seamlessly across different technologies, domains, and lifecycles. 

What to expect from the session 

This workshop is both about ideas and evidence. 

Participants will get access to: 

• Concrete results from HAL4SDV and Shift2SDV

• Middleware and API frameworks in action 

• Hardware abstraction and virtualization approaches 

• Development toolchains for next-generation systems 

It is a space to: 

• Exchange insights across projects and disciplines 

• Connect academic research with industrial application 

• Explore how SDV technologies can be transferred to broader SDS domains 

Who should attend 

This workshop is designed for people working at the intersection of systems, software, and hardware, including: 

• Embedded systems researchers 

• Automotive and mobility engineers 

• Software architects and platform developers 

• Industry stakeholders exploring SDV and SDS adoption 

• Anyone interested in the future of scalable, software-defined platforms 

If your work touches system architecture, middleware, or embedded software, this is your playground. 

The people behind the workshop  

• Andreas Eckel 

Teamlead Innovation Projects & Funding Management at TTTech and coordinator of the HAL4SDV project, with extensive experience in large-scale R&D and aerospace systems 

• Michael Karner 

Head of Embedded Systems Group at Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH and coordinator of the Shift2SDV project, with over 15 years of experience in embedded and distributed systems 

Date: 8 or 9 of October, Barcelona

Planned duration: 0,5 days

Agenda currently under development (including Keynotes, project lightning talks, technical talks, panel discussion, etc.)