An Industry Survey on ECU Software Parameterization Processes in Variant-Rich Industries: Industrial Practices and Implications for the Automotive Industry

In the automotive industry, the increasing number of vehicle variants necessitates the configuration of electronic control unit (ECU) software through parameterization. However, with the transition toward software-defined vehicles, autonomous driving, and growing regulatory demands, current approaches to parameter management and ECU parameterization have reached their limits. This raises the question of which methodologies for parameter management are applied in other variant-intensive industries, and to what extent the automotive sector can learn from them. To address this question, semi-structured interviews were conducted across several variant-rich industries to examine how parameter management in embedded systems is organized in their respective development processes. The study identified different practices, challenges, and methodologies, including the adoption of software product line engineering principles as a potential best practice. Nevertheless, the findings reveal that a direct transfer of methods from other industries to the automotive industry is not straightforward, as the automotive domain represents a unique combination of high production volumes, extensive variability, and substantial product complexity.