Shift2SDV at ESWeek 2026
At ESWeek 2026, one of the leading global venues for embedded systems research, the Shift2SDV project, and HAL4SDV will contribute to a dedicated workshop titled:
Software-Defined Systems (SDS): From Vehicles to Embedded Platforms – Architectures, Platforms, and Toolchains for Next-Generation Systems
This workshop brings together researchers, industry experts, and European innovation projects to explore a simple but powerful idea:
Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) introduced a fundamental shift:
What if the principles behind software-defined vehicles could shape the future of all embedded systems?
Why this matters (and why now)
- Hardware and software are no longer tightly coupled
- Software evolves continuously, not just at release
- Systems run on high-performance, heterogeneous computing platforms
These same principles are now extending into robotics, industrial automation, and broader cyber-physical systems. In other words, we are moving from SDVs to SDS, software-defined systems.
And with that shift comes a new set of questions:
- How do we design systems that scale across different hardware platforms?
- How do we ensure interoperability across ecosystems?
- What role do middleware and abstraction layers play in making this possible?
This workshop is designed to tackle exactly that.
What the workshop will explore
At its core, the session focuses on the building blocks that make software-defined systems possible:
- Architectures that support flexibility and scalability
- Middleware and platform software that connect applications and hardware
- Abstraction layers that hide complexity and enable portability
- Toolchains that support continuous development and deployment
Grounded in real European innovation
The workshop is built on ongoing European R&D efforts, including:
- Shift2SDV
Developing a middleware and API framework to enable collaboration across the automotive value chain, supporting interoperability and portability across heterogeneous platforms
- HAL4SDV
Creating a unified hardware abstraction framework, including virtualization and system software foundations for scalable SDV platforms
Together, these initiatives are tackling one of the hardest problems in modern engineering: how to make complex systems work seamlessly across different technologies, domains, and lifecycles.
What to expect from the session
This workshop is both about ideas and evidence.
Participants will get access to:
- Concrete results from Shift2SDV and HAL4SDV
- Middleware and API frameworks in action
- Hardware abstraction and virtualization approaches
- Development toolchains for next-generation systems
It is a space to:
- Exchange insights across projects and disciplines
- Connect academic research with industrial application
- Explore how SDV technologies can be transferred to broader SDS domains
Who should attend
This workshop is designed for people working at the intersection of systems, software, and hardware, including:
- Embedded systems researchers
- Automotive and mobility engineers
- Software architects and platform developers
- Industry stakeholders exploring SDV and SDS adoption
- Anyone interested in the future of scalable, software-defined platforms
If your work touches system architecture, middleware, or embedded software, this is your playground.
The people behind the workshop
- Michael Karner
Head of Embedded Systems Group at Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH and coordinator of the Shift2SDV project, with over 15 years of experience in embedded and distributed systems
- Andreas Eckel
Teamlead Innovation Projects & Funding Management at TTTech and coordinator of the HAL4SDV project, with extensive experience in large-scale R&D and aerospace systems
Date: 8 or 9 of October, Barcelona
Planned duration: 0,5 days
Agenda currently under development (including Keynotes, project lightning talks, technical talks, panel discussion, etc.)
Follow Shift2SDV on Linkedin to find out more about the event and how to attend it.
