Automotive Embedded

Software that runs the car — safely, securely and on time. The software engineering of modern vehicles: embedded C, AUTOSAR, real-time operating systems, diagnostics and UDS, bootloaders and OTA, functional safety (ISO 26262), process quality (ASPICE), instrument clusters, gateways and ADAS.

• Embedded C — C is the language of firmware. Learn fixed-width types, bit manipulation, register access, volatile, const and memory placement, interrupts and shared data, state machines, fixed-point maths and defensive practices like watchdogs.
• AUTOSAR — AUTOSAR standardises automotive ECU software. Learn Classic Platform layers (application SWCs, RTE, basic software, MCAL), ports and interfaces, runnables and events, configuration and code generation, the Adaptive Platform for high-performance computers, and CPU-load estimation.
• RTOS — Real-time operating systems guarantee that tasks meet deadlines. Learn tasks, priorities and preemptive scheduling, rate-monotonic scheduling and the utilisation bound, response-time analysis, interrupts, resource sharing and priority inversion, OSEK/AUTOSAR OS and FreeRTOS.
• Diagnostics — On-board diagnostics detect and report faults. Learn OBD-II and EOBD, the malfunction indicator lamp, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC structure, status bits), freeze frames, readiness monitors, fault debouncing and healing, and the service workflow with scan tools.
• Bootloader — A bootloader lets ECU software be updated in the field. Learn memory layout (bootloader, application, calibration), the reprogramming sequence over UDS, CRC/signature verification, secure boot, A/B partitions for OTA, flash timing and fail-safe design.
• UDS — Unified Diagnostic Services (ISO 14229) is the standard language between testers and ECUs. Learn request/response structure, key services (0x10, 0x11, 0x14, 0x19, 0x22, 0x2E, 0x27, 0x28, 0x31, 0x34/36/37, 0x3E), negative response codes, sessions and security access, and ISO-TP transport over CAN.
• ISO 26262 — ISO 26262 is the functional-safety standard for road-vehicle E/E systems. Learn the safety lifecycle, hazard analysis and risk assessment (severity, exposure, controllability), ASIL determination, safety goals and requirements, hardware metrics (SPFM, LFM, PMHF), software methods and safety mechanisms, and SOTIF.
• ASPICE — Automotive SPICE assesses and improves software and system development processes. Learn the process reference model (SYS.1–5, SWE.1–6, SUP, MAN), capability levels 0–5, process attributes and N/P/L/F ratings, work products, bidirectional traceability, and how OEMs use assessments.
• Instrument Cluster — The instrument cluster shows speed, rpm, warnings and information. Learn analog vs digital clusters, signal sources over CAN, speedometer regulations (ECE R39), odometer and fuel-gauge filtering, telltales and warning priority (ISO 2575), graphics rendering and HMI design.
• Gateway — The central gateway connects the vehicle's networks. Learn routing between CAN, LIN, FlexRay and Ethernet domains, signal vs PDU routing, latency and bus-load effects, diagnostic routing (DoIP to CAN), firewalling and cybersecurity (SecOC, IDS), and evolution toward zonal architectures.
• ADAS — Advanced Driver Assistance Systems help drivers avoid crashes and reduce workload. Learn SAE automation levels, sensors and fusion, core functions (AEB, ACC, LKA, BSD, parking), time-to-collision and braking calculations, the perception–planning–control pipeline, validation and safety standards.