The document discusses Ford's Vehicle Consumer Services Interface (VCSI) which aims to address the mismatch between long vehicle development cycles and rapidly changing consumer technologies. It does so by creating a standard interface that allows applications and services to be more easily updated over the vehicle's lifetime, providing benefits to both automakers and consumers. The solution involves an in-vehicle platform that hosts applications and acts as a proxy between modules using standard APIs. This gives Ford more control over the infotainment solution and interface with suppliers while also differentiating vehicles through customizable applications.

1. © copyright 2004 by OSGi Alliance All rights reserved.
OSGI at Ford – Vehicle Consumer
Services Interface (VCSI)
OSGI at Ford – Vehicle Consumer
Services Interface (VCSI)

2. © copyright 2004 by OSGi Alliance. All rights reserved.
Problem
M is m a tc h o f P ro d u c t D e v e lo p m e n t C y c le s
K e n K h a n g u ra - T h e C o n n e c te d F u tu re : A V is io n o f W ire le s s L ife 7
C o n c e p t
D e s ig n
T e s t
M o d e l / P ro to ty p e
A s s e m b ly F e a s ib ility
M a s s P ro d u c tio n
3 - 5 y e a rs
A u to m o tiv e D e v e lo p m e n t C y c leA u to m o tiv e D e v e lo p m e n t C y c le
C o n c e p t
D e s ig n
P ro to ty p e
T e s t
C o n s u m e r P ro d u c ts D e v e lo p m e n t C y c leC o n s u m e r P ro d u c ts D e v e lo p m e n t C y c le
C o n c e p t
D e s ig n
P ro to ty p e
T e s t
C o n c e p t
D e s ig n
P ro to ty p e
T e s t
A s s e m b ly F e a s ib ility A s s e m b ly F e a s ib ility A s s e m b ly F e a s ib ility

3. © copyright 2004 by OSGi Alliance. All rights reserved.
Problem (cont.)
OEM perspective:
Currently applications are frozen at the time of design (a few
years before production)
Result: Applications (and technologies used) could become
obsolete by time of production
__________________________________________________
Consumer perspective:
Applications are frozen at the time of vehicle purchase
Result: Applications (and technologies used) will become
obsolete long before the end of the vehicle life

4. © copyright 2004 by OSGi Alliance. All rights reserved.
Problem (cont.)
•Cost of new applications
•Too many vehicle models
•Lack of resources
•Lack of structured interface with suppliers

5. © copyright 2004 by OSGi Alliance. All rights reserved.
Solution: VCSI
• Interface/proxy between in-vehicle modules
• Platform for hosting Applications
• Standard for writing in-vehicle applications
• Tool for Ford control over design of in-vehicle infotronics
solution
• Tool for Ford control over the vehicle throughout the vehicle
lifecycle
• Interface with suppliers
• Brand differentiation through applications

6. © copyright 2004 by OSGi Alliance. All rights reserved.
Protocols
Prot. 1 Prot. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prot. N
Devices
Low level s/w (drivers)
JNI
JVM
Registry OSGIApp Manager
Provisioning API Resource Management API
Services
Event Manager API
Security API Policy API
Telephony API
Communication API
PIM API Personalization API Diagnostics API
VSI+ API
Navigation API HMI API Media API Home API
Applications
Storage API
Commerce API

7. © copyright 2004 by OSGi Alliance. All rights reserved.
Assumptions
- Try to use available standards and technologies
- Invent only when what you need is not available or not
sufficient
- Standard should not impose restrictions on new proprietary
development
We can make some assumptions that are not available for
standardization bodies

8. © copyright 2004 by OSGi Alliance. All rights reserved.
Wishes
- Communication interfaces (application level)
- Integration of consumer devices (Jini, etc.)