FORVIA HELLA launches "Ignite" for software-only product development

The international automotive supplier FORVIA HELLA is intensifying its activities in the area of software-based business models and is advancing the development with a new company founded at the beginning of the year. HELLA Ignite GmbH ("Ignite by FORVIA HELLA") aims to accelerate the development of software-only products in a rapid and agile manner. In parallel with product development, Ignite by FORVIA HELLA is currently being gradually expanded; by the end of the year, the company is expected to consist of an internationally diverse team of around 40 software development experts.

The main focus of development lies, on one hand, in software products that are closely linked to the core businesses of FORVIA HELLA’s three Business Groups — Lighting, Electronics, and Lifecycle Solutions. These include, on the one hand, business models in the field of lighting electronics or the processing and monetization of sensor data. On the other hand, Ignite by FORVIA HELLA is also working on entirely new software-only business models, such as the “Traffic Rules Engine” (TRE), which was introduced as a conceptual innovation at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 in Las Vegas and has since undergone significant further development.

This software module, developed in close cooperation with TÜV Rheinland, monitors the compliance of automated vehicles (SAE Level 3 and higher) with applicable regulations, traffic laws, and case law based on sensor and map data. The solution is tailored to the specific country in which the automated vehicle will be deployed. Planned maneuvers are assessed for legal admissibility on the same basis. Should a deviation be detected, real-time feedback is provided to the vehicle control system. To ensure that the latest regulations of each country are always applied, the TRE can be continuously updated over-the-air.

The target is to integrate the TRE into a vehicle for the first time by year-end and to have TÜV Rheinland validate the software on a test track, using real-world traffic scenarios. The initial focus will be on highway driving, with vehicles classified under SAE Level 3 (“highly automated driving”), wherein certain tasks can be executed independently and without human intervention.

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