Once upon a time, cars were all about gears, engines, and metal – machines that moved only when their mechanical parts did. But today, a new revolution is unfolding, one that’s rewriting how we think about vehicles altogether. It’s called the Software-Defined Vehicle, or SDV – a term that has quickly become the buzzword of the automotive world. Yet, for all the talk around it, the meaning of SDV often remains blurred.
Recognising the need for clarity, Elektrobit – a global leader in automotive software – decided to do what no one had done before: “define it,” said Mr. Kollu Nandakumar, Director, Head of Hardware & Software Integration of the company.
Elektrobit has envisioned the industry’s first “levels” on similar lines of ADAS but for SDVs, outlining six levels of evolution, from Level 0 to Level 5. This framework offers more than just labels – it’s a roadmap for how vehicles can progress from hardware-driven machines to intelligent, adaptive mobility platforms.
Most carmakers today, he noted, operate somewhere between Level 2 and Level 3, with only a few venturing into Level 4 or 5 territory – typically through the “digital cockpit” present today on most of the high-end models/vehicles. But reaching higher levels isn’t simply about packing more software into the car. It’s about a complete rethink of how vehicles are imagined, designed, built, and maintained.
In an SDV, software and hardware no longer share the same lifecycle. Updates arrive Over The Air, not in service bays. Vehicle features evolve continuously, much like apps on a smartphone. Time-to-market for innovations shrinks, development becomes more agile, and scalable software platforms can power everything from an entry-level hatchback to a luxury flagship.
As Elektrobit’s Mr. Nandakumar explained, this evolution unfolds step by step. At Level 0, cars are merely software-enabled, with mechanical functions controlled by basic software such as body computers that control lights, access, etc. Level 1 introduces connectivity and mobile app integration. By Level 2, vehicles become updatable, capable of receiving updates to the existing functionality.
At Level 3, they become upgradeable – able to gain entirely new functions through software alone, without changing hardware. Level 4 represents a software platform, where cross-domain upgrades keep vehicles feeling new across generations. And at Level 5, the innovation platform, cars become fully customisable ecosystems – open to third-party applications and multi-brand collaboration, much like today’s digital devices.
Crucially, not every component inside a vehicle has to evolve at the same pace, he said. Some Electronic Control Units (ECUs) might function at Level 2, while others – like infotainment or ADAS – could operate at Level 4 or beyond. This modularity gives OEMs and suppliers the flexibility to modernise systems at different speeds, depending on function and business strategy.
Behind this transformation lies a robust electrical and electronic (E/E) architecture that makes it all possible. It ensures that every update, every new capability, and every software deployment happens without disrupting the car’s core performance or safety.
