Software solutions to complex challenges

The industry’s transformation towards software-based systems as a part of the total design equals complex systems with implications for product quality and development efficiency, says Claes Anderson, managing director of Systemite.
The Swedish company was founded in 2000 around SystemWeaver – an integrated systems engineering solution – by Claes Anderson, Mikael Strömberg and Jan Söderberg. In 2001 IT consultant Ergodata AB became part owner.
SystemWeaver uses a distributed database from which different views of the systems can be generated. The engineer only needs to enter information once, which can be viewed from different aspects, he says. SystemWeaver connects the information to the components themselves. Consistency in design information, distribution of design information, and integration of design processes is maintained.
Systemite’s main customer is the automotive sector. Other target industries are telecom and military systems. In 2005 Systemite was appointed as AB Volvo’s supplier of electronics systems development tools. “This is an important recognition of Systemite’s vision and technology and our capacity as a major industrial partner,” says Anderson.
SystemWeaver improves project/risk management and supports project monitoring whereby it is possible to check the status on design processes, and to track what level requirements are fulfilled. The “global component space”, high performance distribution and access improves cooperative work between different geographic/organizational locations, he adds.
Automotive Industries spoke to Jan Söderberg, Systemite chief technical officer.
AI: What role does Systemite play in the AUTOSAR initiative?
Söderberg: Systemite offers enabling tool solutions that make AUTOSAR an integrated part of the development processes within OEMs and suppliers, offering seamless collaboration. Development of embedded systems will no longer be a detached part of vehicle projects, but an integrated cross-functional aspect of entire projects. The systems will largely be based on the reuse of tested and proven software and system components, but configured to offer brand qualities.
AI: Tell us about Systemite’s automotive capabilities and how you plan to expand their scope.
Söderberg: Systemite’s team has long been involved in automotive system development in virtually all aspects of embedded systems, from hardware to software, systems engineering, to implementation and defining quality procedures. We will continue focusing these experiences into SystemWeaver, providing customers with support for all development aspects. SystemWeaver is suitable for customer adaptations and will be so in the future, but we are investigating the applicability for off-the-shelf solutions. We have various turn-key solutions for many disciplines such as ‘requirement elicitation’, ‘requirement management’, ‘technology roadmapping’, and ‘test management’. We plan to offer a complete turn-key AUTOSAR solution as the standards become mature.
AI: Systemite has a strong Scandinavian and EU presence – will you be expanding into North America and other markets?
Söderberg: The plan is to expand by partnerships with companies that have a strong local presence and good application knowledge. We are already working in global projects, since all of our customers are part of global organizations.
AI: What are some of the global companies that have evinced an interest in the SystemWeaver concept and development platform?
Söderberg: Around 20 OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are using our products and licensed solutions.
AI: Will automotive clients continue to provide the bulk of your business? If so, why is SystemWeaver particularly valid for the automotive industry vis a vis other industries?
Söderberg: Our automotive clients need to develop and maintain well tested and highly optimized complex architectures, with premium product cost and quality. Systemite will rely not only on organic growth but also build strategic alliances with companies of extensive application and domain knowledge.