Vector’s SOVD toolchain is designed to support end-to-end diagnostics for modern vehicle architectures.Vector Informatik
Vector Informatik has launched an end-to-end SOVD toolchain for service-oriented vehicle diagnostics. The solution helps OEMs and suppliers evaluate, test and integrate the new diagnostic standard into modern SDV architectures.
Vector Informatik has introduced an end-to-end toolchain for
service-oriented vehicle diagnostics, or SOVD. The solution is designed to help
OEMs and suppliers evaluate, test and integrate the modern diagnostic concept
into modern vehicle architectures.
The SOVD toolchain is available now and is intended to
simplify the move towards diagnostics for software-defined
vehicles. It combines existing and new Vector tools in a continuous
development environment that covers specification, validation and in-vehicle
application.
The SOVD Explorer – the centrepiece of Vector’s new SOVD toolchain.Vector Informatik
Why does SOVD matter for vehicle diagnostics?
SOVD provides a standardised programming interface for
diagnosing both software-defined vehicles and conventional mechatronic vehicle
systems. For OEMs and suppliers, this is becoming more important as electronic
architectures become more complex and diagnostic workflows need to cover
software, networks and individual ECUs more consistently.
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Vector says the seamless integration of its tools is
intended to reduce development time and make implementation of the SOVD
standard easier. The aim is to support development,
validation and integration across the diagnostic workflow rather
than treating these steps as separate activities.
Service-Oriented Vehicle Diagnostics
SOVD stands
for Service-Oriented Vehicle Diagnostics and describes a diagnostic approach
for software-defined vehicles. The standard is intended to provide a uniform
API for diagnosing both new software-based systems and conventional ECUs.
The aim is to
enable flexible, future-proof diagnostic access across different scenarios,
including remote, proximity and in-vehicle use cases. Technically, SOVD is
based on established IT mechanisms such as HTTP/REST, OpenAPI and OAuth. This
makes vehicle diagnostics easier to integrate into backend systems and better
suited to the high rate of change in modern vehicle software.
For SDVs,
SOVD is therefore an important building block for connecting diagnostics,
testing, software updates and continuous development of vehicle functions more
efficiently.
What does the SOVD Explorer do?
At the centre of the solution is the SOVD Explorer. The tool
supports diagnostics for individual ECUs as well as complete vehicles and was
developed specifically for the SOVD standard.
Developers can use it to read and write vehicle data and
access the functions of the SOVD API. A structured view of the vehicle state
and automation functions are intended to make the development and testing of
future software-based vehicles more manageable. This is especially relevant as faster and more reliable automotive validation
becomes a core requirement in vehicle software projects.
How does Vector structure the SOVD rollout?
For the introduction of the new diagnostic technology,
Vector uses a three-step approach. First, developers can test SOVD functions
with existing UDS-based vehicles without changing the vehicle architecture. In
the next step, the technology is evaluated in the vehicle network with regard
to performance and resource consumption.
The final step is the full integration of the SOVD stack
into the vehicle architecture. Vector’s SOVD Starter Kit is designed to make
the entry point easier. It includes the SOVD Explorer and the SOVD Classic
Diagnostic Adapter, allowing developers to build initial SOVD applications
quickly.
Vector is one of the companies actively contributing to the
further development of the SOVD standard. In addition to the toolchain, the
company offers engineering services, proof of concepts and training to support
customers as they introduce service-oriented diagnostics into next-generation E/E architectures.
