Schaeffler and Qorix partner to build software platforms for software-defined vehicles
Schaeffler and Qorix will jointly develop, integrate and market software-based platform solutions for future vehicle architectures, starting with automotive and later robotics and industrial automation.
- ISO 26262
- 2026-10-12
What Happened
Schaeffler and Qorix have entered into a strategic partnership for the joint development, integration and marketing of software-based platform solutions for future vehicle architectures and intelligent machines. The two companies aim to advance integrated hardware and software solutions for central vehicle computers and software-defined architectures. Schaeffler contributes in-depth expertise in system integration and safety-critical driving and comfort functions, while Qorix brings production-ready middleware technologies, their integration into central computing platforms, and an active role in the Eclipse S-CORE open-source ecosystem.
- Hardware platforms, cross-domain controller solutions, system integration, and safety-critical driving and comfort functions
- Production-ready middleware, Qorix Performance for deterministic communication, end-to-end lifecycle management, and functional safety in accordance with ISO 26262
The cooperation addresses the shift from distributed electronic control unit architectures to central high-performance computing platforms, which the companies say presents the automotive industry with new requirements. In their view, reliable middleware and software platforms that are standardized, scalable, secure and production-ready are crucial. Together, the partners say they reduce integration efforts, shorten development times and accelerate the industrialization of software-defined vehicle architectures.
“With our platform and integration expertise, Schaeffler is laying the foundation for central software-defined vehicle architectures. Qorix complements this foundation with production-ready middleware and a strong open-source approach, enabling us to bring scalable solutions to market faster and more efficiently.”
Both companies are involved in the open-source project Eclipse S-CORE, a software framework for software-defined vehicles. That joint commitment forms the basis for faster and more coherent development, reduced integration efforts, and the reuse of software across vehicle generations and customer programs. The first joint solutions are set to be deployed in customer projects, which the partners say will further accelerate the introduction of software-defined architectures.
“With Schaeffler as a strategic partner, we are accelerating exactly what drives us: bringing production-ready, open-source-based software platforms to market faster. Qorix Performance combined with Schaeffler's system integration and compute expertise creates a compelling offering for automotive manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers that want to actively shape the transition to software-defined architectures.”
- Joint development, integration and marketing of software-based platform solutions
- Initial focus on the automotive industry, with expansion planned to robotics and industrial automation
- Goal of reducing development times and integration effort and bringing scalable solutions into series production more quickly
- Eclipse S-CORE open-source framework as the common foundation for reusable vehicle software
- First joint solutions to be deployed in customer projects
Why this matters
The partnership targets a costly industry transition: automakers are moving from distributed electronic control units to central high-performance computers, which requires standardized middleware. By cutting integration effort and development times, the two companies aim to get scalable, production-ready software into series production faster — an offer aimed at carmakers and Tier 1 suppliers that want to shape software-defined architectures.
Terms in This Story
- software-defined vehicle
- A vehicle whose functions are controlled largely by software running on central computers rather than by many separate distributed control units.
- middleware
- Software that sits between a device's operating system and its applications, handling communication and management tasks so different programs work together.
- Eclipse S-CORE
- An open-source project building a shared software framework for software-defined vehicles.
- ISO 26262
- An international standard covering functional safety for electrical and electronic systems in road vehicles.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.