It will not be long before each household owns an intelligent car like the KITT from American television series Knight Rider. We are living in an era when what we dreamed about becomes reality. Cases in point are BMW’s unmanned cars, Google Glass, Northrop Grumman’s robotic helicopter, etc. The key to turning imagination into reality lies with embedded software.
The market for embedded software that runs and controls devices installed in cars, aircrafts and ships is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of over 9% over the next five years. Smart devices, based on ICT convergence technologies, are integrated into cars and hardware used in textile, shipbuilding, marine plant, aviation, energy and construction sectors. Since embedded software can be slotted into any systems and perform much better than general software, it makes a big difference.
In-vehicle Embedded Software
The in-vehicle embedded software market is projected to grow from USD 220 billion in 2010 to USD 290 billion in 2015. The Korean in-vehicle embedded software market, valued at approximately USD 6 billion, makes up 4.5% of the worldwide in-vehicle embedded software market. The domestic auto sector’s embedded technologies still lag behind those held by developed economies. South Korea is 2.5 years behind in operating systems, 1.8 years behind in middleware and 0.9 years in application software. In order for Korean software companies to survive in the global market, it is very important to concentrate on the development of embedded software that controls future-oriented cars’ hardware.
At the CES 2014, held in Las Vegas in January, Audi and Google jointly showed off their smart car system. And videos of unmanned, autonomous cars built by German automakers were heavily watched on SNSs such as YouTube. As such, the convergence of cars and electronic devices are definitely in around the world.
Nine global automakers, including Hyundai, Kia, Audi, BMW, Toyota, Chrysler, Ford and GM, and over 125 suppliers of auto parts, including Delphi, JVC and Kenwood, participated in the CES 2014, making smart cars the buzzword of the show.
The domestic smart car market, albeit still in its infancy, has seen more auto makers striking partnerships with developers of embedded software.
The global in-vehicle embedded software market has been led by global automakers and KPIT, an India-based developer of in-vehicle software. Major domestic developers of in-vehicle embedded software include Hyundai Mobis (which excels in telematics systems, lane departure warning systems(LDWS), advanced airbags, etc), Mando (which specializes in rear and side collision warning systems, ESV (Enhanced Safety of Vehicle)and SCC (smart cruise control)) and Hyundai Kefico (which excels in semiconductors for vehicles, software platforms and engine control units (ECU)).
Web browsers and voice recognition solutions have been commercially successful in the vehicle IT business. Web browsers are a system that enables wireless Internet access through a terminal installed inside the car. As regards voice recognition solutions, middleware that can be applied to voice recognition, voice synthesis and engines was developed to enable multi-language voice recognition and voice synthesis. Hyundai vehicles are equipped with such a solution.
Obigo Korea, a Korean developer of software platforms, has developed an in-vehicle web browser based on HTML5. Web platforms for vehicles are integrated into the car’s head unit and dashboard to support preexisting in-vehicle services (e.g. music players, radio, vehicle information, etc.) and web services like running apps and accessing app stores. In a nutshell, web platforms are a computer that tells cars what to do. Drivers can start their cars or turn off the engine by using the Hyundai Blue Link mobile app and can adjust temperatures inside the car. When drivers do not remember where their cars are parked, they can resort to a mobile app to check out the last location where they turned off the engine.
“Nearly 50% of our annual sales come from in-vehicle embedded software,” said an official from Obigo Korea.
Software Embedded in Vessels
The worldwide shipboard IT equipment market stood at USD 10 billion in 2011, taking only 2% of the market for finished goods. Meanwhile, the worldwide shipboard IT convergence market is anticipated to hit USD 35 billion in 2020. In addition, the share of IT convergence equipment in the shipbuilding sector is likely to jump from the current 6% (as a percentage of the ship price) to 15 %. The Korean shipboard IT equipment market is valued at USD 1 billion, 1.25% of the market for finished goods. Global heavyweights in this sector are Norway's Kongsberg and Finland’s NAPA and Eniram
Meanwhile, South Korea has only one company specialized in shipboard embedded software: Busan Techmangrossed KRW 3 billion in annual sales. While the S. Korean shipbuilding industry, the world’s No.1 player, has won 35% of the worldwide orders, it is playing catch up with developed nations in equipment for navigation facilities, communications and leisure.
The S. Korean shipbuilding industry exported a fleet of smart vessels equipped with a SAN (ship Area Network) system to Denmark’s APMollarl, the world largest shipping line. SAN-equipped vessels permit comprehensive control and management of all important on-board systems (including engine power and navigation), thereby enabling remote monitoring of vessels and software upgrades.
Software Embedded in Aircrafts
The worldwide aviation IT convergence market amounted to USD 84.5 billion in 2012, approximately 130 million of which probably came from the embedded software sector.The domestic aviation IT convergence market was USD 4.6 million. BAE Systems, a British multinational defense company, takes up a whopping 60% of the worldwide aviation electronics market. On the domestic front, MDS Technology successfully developed a real-time operating system (RTOS), the nation’s first homegrown solution that has been applied into the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle
In order for Korean software companies to succeed in the defense and aviation sector, notorious for high entry barriers, they need to focus on infotainment, noise reductions, improvements in cabin environment, real-time image synthesis technology, voice command technology, etc. Sixteen T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainers, equipped with embedded software, were exported to Indonesia.
Software Embedded in Textiles
South Korea's Kolon Glotech has developed HeaTex, a self-heating smart fabric that turns electrical energy into thermal energy.
By employing conductive high-molecule textile printing technology, electronic circuit technology and electronics device convergence technology, Kolon Glotech has developed light-weight, wearable clothes, whose temperatures can be adjusted through a remote control. A small-sized battery pack can heat the clothes up to 35~40 degrees Celsius in 2 minutes. In addition, optical fibers attached to the sleeves make the wearer easily detectable at night.
“We have successfully completed the final-stage test for commercialization. We are pushing for additional researches on the convergence of textiles and IT,” said an official from Kolon Glotech.
Software Embedded in U-Health
Insung Information, a Korean U-health company, has developed embedded software that allows people to have medical check-ups and consultations at home. Insung Information’s embedded software is a smart device that measures blood pressure, blood sugar levels, body fat, oxygen saturation levels, etc. Insung Information last year signed a contract to supply its embedded software to the US’s AMC Healthcare.
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