The SDK is able to provide customers with an Out-of-the-Box connectivity solution for their embedded systems to their preferred Cloud platform, enabling them to quickly launch OTA and data aggregation programs.
Aimed primarily at automotive manufacturers and suppliers of Electronic Control Units (ECUs) and smart sensors, the Excelfore eSync SDK helps to shorten development cycles by enabling a working model of how software is delivered over-the-air. It provides feature-rich OTA capabilities including custom policies, delta compression and end-to-end security for software delivery and updates.
The SDK comes with two compact Raspberry Pi computing devices, along with all necessary power supplies and cables. One Raspberry Pi serves as the gateway, providing a Wi-Fi wireless connection and hosting the pre-installed eSync Client software, while the second Raspberry Pi serves as the external edge device to be updated. eSync Agents are pre-installed on both devices, enabling new software to be installed on either or both.
eSync is a multi-company specification promoted by the eSync Alliance, which defines a software platform with interoperable server and embedded software to build a secure bi-directional data pipeline between the cloud and electronic end devices in vehicles. eSync can deliver and update software and firmware over-the-air (OTA), while collecting real-time operational data from in-car devices including ECUs, domain master ECUs, network gateways, and smart sensors.
The SDK simplifies and accelerates the development, prototyping and testing of eSync compliant devices, and facilitates incorporation of legacy devices into eSync OTA-enabled networks. It also supports evaluation of eSync in-network and cloud software by IT professionals at OEMs and suppliers.
Shrinath Acharya, CEO at Excelfore, said, "OTA is a challenge in complex environments with many diverse devices on multiple networks and busses, as in automotive. Development, integration and verification requires a lot of experienced engineering resources and is impractical without some level of standardisation in architecture and protocols. The eSync SDK provides a quick and simple solution that enables our customers to take advantage of Excelfore’s proven, production-deployed solution for managing updates via the eSync OTA platform."
In addition to the basic SDK, Excelfore is also to provide two expansion kits. The first, a CAN-bus expansion kit, provides cables, connectors, instructions, and a “Template” eSync Agent. Users can use this expansion to integrate AUTOSAR ECUs and other CAN-bus devices into their eSync SDK. The second, a vehicle status emulator, provides a load-board with a CAN-bus interface. Users can change the state of variables of vehicle status that affect OTA policies, such as whether a vehicle’s ignition is on, or whether the vehicle owner has given consent for an update to proceed.
