Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH is coordinating Shift2SDV, an EU-funded research project under Chips Joint Undertaking / Horizon Europe. The project aims to define, coordinate, and develop a language-independent middleware framework to support the development of automotive applications using micro-services that abstract underlying hardware components. It addresses both open-source and proprietary solutions and supports the transition between safety-critical in-vehicle and off-vehicle mobility functionalities.

“Code-First” Approach and “Robust Middleware”:
Shift2SDV emphasizes a modular software approach based on open-source standards to improve maintainability, portability, and faster time-to-market. It also aims to building a robust middleware layer that acts as the bridge between the hardware/OS and application layers. This standardized middleware stack provides essential services such as communication protocols, security mechanisms, and data management. Additionally, an API framework (Application Programming Interface) ensures seamless interaction between different software modules, enabling efficient development and integration.

Project Key Objectives
Key technical objectives include the development of a modern, flexible micro-services-based architecture and middleware framework that simplifies the brand-specific application development, and establishment of a safe and secure system architecture compliant with functional safety standards. Additionally, the project aims to develop an orchestration for efficient resource management, integrate edge and cloud computing, and demonstrate the practical viability of the developed middleware through concrete use cases.

Project Key Facts
Project starts: July 2025
Duration: 36 months
Total eligible costs: approx. EUR 68 million
Consortium: 69 partners + 3 affiliated entities + 11 associated partners
Participating countries: 15 EU/associated countries
Coordinator: Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH, Austria
Project Lead: Dr. Michael Karner, VIRTUAL VEHICLE

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Chips Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor Chips Joint Undertaking can be held responsible for them. The project is supported by the Chips Joint Undertaking and its members, including the top-up funding by the national Authorities of Austria, Germany, Italy, Denmark, France, Turkey, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Poland, Greece, Sweden, Romania, and the Czech Republic, under grant agreement number 101194245.