Tata Elxsi and Suzuki deepen partnership with a new tech hub

In a move to modernise its vehicle development process, Suzuki Motor Corporation has partnered with technology services company Tata Elxsi to establish a Cloud Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Centre. The new facility, located in Trivandrum, India, aims to fast-track the creation of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs) by moving development and validation to a virtual environment.

The centre's core function is to provide a cloud-based HIL validation system, a testing method where a vehicle's electronic control units (ECUs) are connected to a simulated environment. Instead of using a physical car, engineers test the software on the actual hardware, but the "loop" is completed by a computer that simulates the rest of the vehicle. This includes everything from the engine and transmission to the brakes and sensors.

By hosting this system in the cloud, Suzuki can give its global R&D teams remote access to the HIL setup. This setup helps them test software changes earlier and more often without needing a physical prototype. The approach saves time and money, a key focus for Suzuki's "SDV Right" strategy, which aims for an affordable and energy-efficient system.

The Shift to Software-Defined Vehicles 

The automotive industry is moving toward SDVs, where a vehicle's features and functions are controlled mainly by software, not just hardware. This allows manufacturers to add new features, fix bugs, and improve performance through software updates, similar to how smartphones work. This makes the vehicle more of a platform that can evolve, rather than a static product.

The Cloud HIL Centre helps Suzuki support this change. It provides a platform for continuous integration and faster release cycles, which are necessary for building and updating vehicle software. This new centre is the second facility created under the Tata Elxsi–Suzuki partnership, following the Offshore Development Centre (ODC) in Pune.