Open-Source Strategy in Software-Defined Commercial Vehicles

While passenger cars rapidly shift toward high-performance compute platforms, commercial vehicles operate under unique economic constraints where fleet profitability, total cost of ownership and razor-thin operating margins drive every software decision.

In this episode, host Bernd Graef sits down with Carlton Bale, Director of Software Defined Vehicle Strategy at Cummins, and Daniel Krippner, Open Source Technologist at ETAS, to explore open-source collaboration in software-defined commercial vehicles. Carlton and Daniel explain how open-source frameworks, specifically through the Eclipse SDV working group, allow heavy-duty manufacturers to solve shared architectural challenges without reinventing non-differentiating infrastructure software. Together, they break down the shift from closed NDA-based models to open collaboration, how to maintain safety certification under ISO 26262 using Trustable Software Frameworks (TSF), and how Cummins and ETAS are co-developing practical, production-intent SDV stack blueprints.

Whether you are an automotive software engineer, systems architect, or fleet technology leader, this episode offers a practical look at how commercial vehicle OEMs and suppliers are collaborating to accelerate time-to-market.

In this episode:
00:00 - Introduction: Commercial Vehicles & The Software-Defined Shift
02:44 - Commercial Vehicle Economics: Fleet ROI, Total Cost of Ownership, and Incremental Architectures
04:58 - The Power of Open Source: Why Non-Differentiating Infrastructure Belongs in Open Collaboration
11:36 - Standardizing Powertrain Interfaces: Hands-On Work with uService and OpenSOVD
18:20 - Safety Certification & Open Source: Navigating ISO 26262, Non-Safety Domains, and TSF
27:20 - Bridging Commercial and Passenger SDVs: Shared Infrastructure vs. Domain Specifics
33:04 - Getting Involved: Eclipse SDV Commercial Blueprints, Code Contribution, and Culture Shift

Useful links from the discussion:

• Commercial SDV Stack Blueprint: https://github.com/eclipse-sdv-blueprints/commercial-sdv-stack
• Eclipse SDV Blueprints: https://sdv-blueprints.eclipse.dev/;
• Joining Eclipse SDV Community: https://eclipsesdv.org/get-involved/  

Thanks for listening!

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