Secor introduces a standardised, software-configurable chip

Secor has taken a significant step in its push towards a fully software-defined vehicle architecture. For the first time, the Bavarian company has integrated its SDV concept into a production-ready car, unveiling the demonstrator at the opening of Silberform’s new technology and manufacturing centre in Weil, a town near Stuttgart. Secor is developing a patented, standardised semiconductor intended to reorder the entire electrical-electronic structure of the vehicle.

A configurable chip designed to simplify the vehicle’s architecture

At the core of Secor’s approach is a combination of standardised software APIs and interchangeable hardware modules. The chip is designed to be functionally compatible, updateable and replaceable without requiring a redesign — from early development through SOP and even throughout the after-sales lifecycle. It is also intended to be produced by multiple manufacturing partners across three continents to strengthen supply chain resilience.

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The software layer plays an equally central role. Secor’s modular, certified SDV library enables third-party developers to offer applications through an SDV app store. The system aligns with the VDA’s open-source guidelines and follows a zonal architecture: rather than relying on today’s roughly 150 separate control units, a central computer communicates with only five to ten ECUs equipped with the standardised chips. This shift is designed to reduce complexity, accelerate development processes and redirect engineering capacity away from repetitive groundwork towards actual innovation.

Because functionality is defined entirely by software, updates can still be added shortly before SOP or even after vehicles have entered service — including performance upgrades or new features. If processing power or memory becomes insufficient in an existing car, the chip can be replaced with a higher-performance variant from the same family thanks to pin-compatibility, avoiding a redesign of the circuit board.

Growing interest from OEMs and major suppliers

Secor reports a high level of interest from vehicle manufacturers and large Tier-1 suppliers, particularly regarding the prospect of standardised, supplier-independent hardware blocks and significantly shorter development cycles. Discussions are already under way with several industry players following initial demonstrations, including those held around IAA Mobility.

The company positions its configurable chip as a foundation for a new generation of software-defined platforms — reducing fragmentation, cutting complexity and opening the door to more flexible development cycles. If adopted at scale, the architecture could have far-reaching effects on how vehicles are designed, validated and updated throughout their lifetime.

Car Design Dialogues Milan

APRIL 2026