HARMAN Accelerates Software-Defined Vehicle Innovation with Open-Source Connected Services Platform
In a groundbreaking move to drive the automotive industry’s transition to software-defined vehicles (SDVs), HARMAN, a leader in automotive technology and a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, has become one of the first companies to open-source a complete connected services platform. This initiative, now available through the Eclipse Connected Services Platform (ECSP) project, marks a pivotal moment for automakers, fleet operators, and developers as they work to deliver scalable, cloud-native innovations to market. By fostering collaboration and modular development, HARMAN is setting a new standard for how the automotive ecosystem can evolve to meet the demands of modern mobility.
Why Open-Source Matters for Software-Defined Vehicles
The shift to software-defined vehicles is transforming the automotive landscape. Unlike traditional vehicles, SDVs rely heavily on software to deliver advanced features such as over-the-air updates, real-time data processing, and immersive in-cabin experiences. However, developing these capabilities requires robust, flexible platforms that support seamless integration, scalability, and interoperability.
By open-sourcing its connected services platform, HARMAN is empowering automakers and developers to accelerate innovation while reducing development costs. The Eclipse Connected Services Platform (ECSP) provides a foundation for building and deploying connected car solutions, enabling automakers to focus on creating differentiated customer experiences rather than reinventing the wheel.
“The successful transformation of the software-defined vehicle era requires a collaborative spirit that brings together leaders across automotive and software development,” said Heiko Huettel, VP of Software Products at HARMAN. “Our philosophy at HARMAN is rooted in the belief that collaboration drives scalable innovation. By contributing our platform to the open-source community, we’re giving the industry a head start—enabling faster development cycles, ensuring greater interoperability, and fostering a more robust ecosystem.”
Key Features of the Eclipse Connected Services Platform
The ECSP is designed to support large-scale connected car deployments, capable of managing up to 100,000 vehicles simultaneously. Its modular architecture enables a wide range of critical functions, including:
- Vehicle-to-Cloud Connectivity: Reliable and secure communication between vehicles and cloud infrastructure.
- High-Volume Data Ingestion and Routing: Efficient handling of massive amounts of vehicle-generated data.
- Vehicle and Device Management: Tools for monitoring and maintaining fleets of vehicles and associated devices.
- User and Identity Management: Secure authentication and access control for drivers and passengers.
- Streaming Application Enablement: Support for real-time applications like navigation, entertainment, and diagnostics.
- Vehicle Telemetry: Real-time monitoring of vehicle performance and health metrics.
These capabilities make ECSP a powerful tool for automakers and fleet operators looking to deploy next-generation connected services. Already, the platform is being used in large-scale production environments, demonstrating its readiness for enterprise-level adoption.
A Collaborative Ecosystem for Automotive Innovation
HARMAN’s contribution to the Eclipse Foundation’s Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Working Group underscores its commitment to fostering collaboration within the automotive industry. As a strategic member of the group, HARMAN is helping to shape the future of open-source software for both in-vehicle and around-the-vehicle systems development.
“HARMAN is demonstrating industry leadership by contributing the ECSP to the Eclipse SDV Working Group,” said Mike Milinkovich, Executive Director of the Eclipse Foundation. “With advanced support for connectivity, remote management, fleet operations, and data monitoring, ECSP provides automotive OEMs with a powerful open-source foundation for delivering differentiated in-vehicle experiences.”
The Eclipse Foundation’s mission is to create a vendor-neutral environment where automakers, suppliers, and developers can collaborate on shared challenges. By contributing ECSP, HARMAN is not only advancing its own capabilities but also enabling others to build upon this foundation, accelerating the pace of innovation across the industry.
Driving the Future of Mobility with Open Source
The launch of the Eclipse Connected Services Platform reflects HARMAN’s broader commitment to investing in open-source communities. By making its platform publicly available, HARMAN is inviting other industry players to join the initiative, contribute their expertise, and help evolve the project further. This collaborative approach ensures that the platform remains adaptable, scalable, and aligned with the evolving needs of the automotive industry.
For automakers, the benefits of adopting an open-source platform are clear: reduced time-to-market, lower development costs, and greater flexibility to customize solutions. For developers, ECSP offers a rich set of tools and APIs to build innovative applications that enhance the driving experience. Meanwhile, consumers stand to benefit from faster access to cutting-edge features and more reliable, secure connected services.
A Milestone for the Eclipse SDV Working Group
The release of ECSP represents a significant milestone for the Eclipse SDV Working Group, which was established to support the development of open-source software for comprehensive in-vehicle and around-the-vehicle systems. With contributions from industry leaders like HARMAN, the group is building a robust ecosystem that supports the entire lifecycle of software-defined vehicles—from development and deployment to ongoing maintenance and updates.
As automakers increasingly adopt cloud-native architectures, platforms like ECSP will play a critical role in enabling flexible, scalable solutions. By providing advanced support for connectivity, fleet management, and data monitoring, ECSP empowers OEMs to deliver differentiated experiences that meet the expectations of today’s tech-savvy drivers.
Join the Movement: Shaping the Future of Connected Vehicles
With the launch of the Eclipse Connected Services Platform, HARMAN is paving the way for a new era of collaboration and innovation in the automotive industry. By open-sourcing its platform, HARMAN is not only accelerating the development of software-defined vehicles but also fostering a more inclusive, transparent ecosystem.
Automakers, developers, and other stakeholders are invited to join the Eclipse CSP initiative and contribute to the evolution of this transformative project. Together, we can unlock the full potential of connected vehicles and redefine the future of mobility.
ABOUT HARMAN
HARMAN (harman.com) designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 50 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In March 2017, HARMAN became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
ABOUT THE ECLIPSE FOUNDATION
The Eclipse Foundation provides our global community of individuals and organisations with a business-friendly environment for open source software collaboration and innovation. We host the Eclipse IDE, Adoptium, Software Defined Vehicle, Jakarta EE, and over 410 open source projects, including runtimes, tools, specifications, and frameworks for cloud and edge applications, IoT, AI, automotive, systems engineering, open processor designs, and many others. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the Eclipse Foundation is an international non-profit association supported by over 360 members. To learn more, follow us on social media @EclipseFdn, LinkedIn or visit eclipse.org.
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