This keynote explores the transformative impact of AI on engineering design, highlighting its role in fostering innovation beyond traditional bounds. AI's capacity for generating novel solutions is not only enhancing efficiency but also redefining creativity and problem-solving in engineering. We are at a pivotal moment where the essence of design creativity intersects with the need for technological precision, marking a fundamental shift in the design process, the designer's role, and the tools used in engineering. This presentation will focus on three key transformations: the evolution of the design loop, the changing role of designers in an AI-driven world, and the advancement of engineering design tools. Together, these shifts represent a new era in engineering design, where AI acts as both a catalyst for innovation and a bridge between imagination and realization.

The notion of added value in the automotive industry is undergoing a shift. In a sector where hardware has been the main generator of profit for more than a century, a new rule now applies. Going forward, hardware will primarily form the platform on which software is later going to drive the vehicle.

Like smartphones, cars are increasingly turning into a technical platform where software is brought into play. To this end, the necessary requirements must be met: having fewer but more powerful ECUs, smart actuators, connectivity, and a service-oriented architecture where hardware is decoupled from software and driving functions are partitioned.

All these changes mean new requirements for the development of automotive software.

The tool landscape must be modern as well as up to date. Process, methods, and tools must be closely aligned and become a key enabler for the development of software-defined vehicles. 

Since the introduction of Park Distance Control and adaptive cruise control in the mid-2000s, Porsche has integrated driver assistance and automated driving technologies into its product lines. This does not contradict the philosophy of a sports car—customers who like to drive themselves in appropriate traffic conditions expect driving to be made significantly easier in stressful, time-consuming situations such as traffic jams or busy parking spaces.

Although the general discussion focuses on the higher levels of automation from SAE Level 3 to Level 4, Level 1 and 2 systems will play a significant role for the next decade, at least, and represent the technological state of the art for most vehicles. In this environment, Porsche is focusing on increasing the performance and functionality of Level 1 and 2 driver assistance systems while developing programs that enable automated driving at Level 3 and 4. This offers the opportunity to build the necessary expertise in sensor technology, sensor fusion, planning and control, as well as the processes, methods, and tools required for the development, approval, and release of higher-level automated driving systems.

Systems engineering must be combined with approaches to processing very large amounts of data, while traditional random testing on the road must be transformed into a combination of virtual and systematic testing. Finally, a new end-to-end electronic architecture is required to ensure the seamless integration of the vehicle with the IT infrastructure.