Definition
Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) are automobiles where core functionality, connectivity, and user experiences are delivered and updated primarily through software rather than fixed hardware — enabling OTA updates, telemetry-driven services, and cloud-integrated personalization.
Key Points
- Shift from monolithic automotive backends to modular, cloud-native platforms
- nexus-sdv (Google Cloud + Valtech): open-source reference stack with Android Automotive OS, Gemini telemetry analysis, NATS/Bigtable pipeline
- Security requirements: mTLS vehicle identity, factory provisioning, gated data APIs
- Competing with legacy connected-vehicle architectures that limit iteration speed