This is how we shape the software-defined automotive world

The approach of Type-based Product Line Engineering (TPLE) builds on the concepts of product line engineering and object-oriented software development originating from the software world and combines them with the paradigm of systems engineering, taking into account the variety of product variants due to the strategy of customized mass production.

The core element of TPLE is the central knowledge graph data model, which holistically maps the problem and solution space of product development and thus provides the basis for consistent configuration management of all aspects relevant to product documentation.

What is a knowledge graph?

At the heart of a knowledge graph is its knowledge model: a collection of interrelated descriptions of concepts, entities, relationships, and events. Knowledge graphs contextualize data through links and semantic metadata and provide a framework for integrating, unifying, analyzing, and sharing data.

Benefits of TPLE

The main advantages of TPLE are:

• Optimized collaboration

• Reduced coordination effort

• Higher quality in development

  • Faster development

  • Lower development costs

  • Automatic configuration management

• Easier fleet updates

  • Faster bug fixes

  • More software fixes and fewer recalls

• Increased transparency about vehicles for sale and sold

  • Higher revenue through upgrades

  • revenues for integrated functions

• Faster adaptation to the market environment

• Better customer loyalty

By combining software and system engineering methods, we enable the following benefits:

• Synthesis of object-oriented methods and methods of variant management

• Separation of requirements (problem space) and solutions (solution space)

• Mapping of generic solutions and architectural knowledge (types) and concrete solution configurations for concrete products (type configurations)

• Mapping of variance is possible through inheritance logic of the type model and through options within the types.

• By linking a solution configuration with a feature configuration, it is possible to directly answer the question: What is the technical context of this solution configuration

How exactly does TPLE work?

TPLE serves as the central backbone of product documentation in the organization. Every department involved in product development has its clear touchpoint with a data-based integration approach that takes collaboration and process automation to a whole new level. The underlying IT systems are integrated based on a data mesh approach. Each data owner is responsible for providing high-quality data products that can be used by other departments in a decentralized and democratic way.

The TPLE data model consists of two main components:

1. the problem space

2. the solution space

The problem space contains all the essential aspects that are relevant as input for product development. The regulations of the individual markets are linked to the corresponding regions and countries via the markets. The features relate to both the regulations and the market. Finally, product management links feature management with market management.

In the solution space, central type management refers to both feature management and product management. Types represent the central data object for transporting engineering knowledge. With the possibilities to model interfaces, state machines, functions, options and component types, complemented by inheritance, a wide range of modeling tools is available. Type lines (or sometimes called partial type configurations) are an intermediate step to instantiate types with some concrete option values while other options are still undefined in order to maintain some variance at this stage. A concrete type configuration can be created when all options are fully defined. These type configurations are ultimately the blueprints for the concrete product instances, which are then created based on these blueprints.