In this blog post, we’ll examine how cars—once purely mechanical devices—have become electronic and intelligent through the integration of embedded systems and software, and how they are evolving into software-defined vehicles as of 2026.
The basic functions of a car are to move forward when the accelerator pedal is pressed, to change direction when the steering wheel is turned, and to stop when the brake is applied. Looking at cars of the past, most functions were performed by physical mechanical devices: pressing the pedal started the engine, turning the steering wheel changed the direction of the wheels, and applying the brake stopped the wheels through friction. However, cars are now evolving beyond simple mechanical devices into machines that combine complex electronic systems and software. Today’s cars help maintain a consistent distance from the vehicle ahead while driving, assist with parking, and use various sensors to monitor the surrounding environment and the vehicle’s status—providing information to the driver or controlling the vehicle’s movement. One of the key elements enabling these functions is the embedded system installed in the car.
An embedded system refers to a computer system designed to perform limited functions for a specific purpose. A typical personal computer (PC) can perform various functions by installing different programs. If you install a word processor program, you can use it to create documents; if you install a game, you can use it as a gaming console. In contrast, the computer embedded in an embedded system is focused on performing the functions required by a specific device or system. You might think that the more functions a computer has, the better, but let’s take a refrigerator as an example. While computers are used in today’s refrigerators, there is no need to run a word processor or play high-performance games on the computer built into a refrigerator. By reducing unnecessary functions and focusing on the necessary ones, the device’s size and power consumption can be minimized, and it can perform its designated functions reliably and efficiently. Electronic components, such as embedded computer chips, make up the hardware of an embedded system, while the various programs running on them constitute the software.
So why did cars begin to be equipped with computers? It is because cars are being fitted with an increasing number of electronic devices, and at the same time, more sophisticated and intelligent control systems have become necessary. Computers used in cars also require systems specialized for specific roles, unlike general-purpose personal computers. This is because the functions a car must perform are not infinitely expandable like those of a word processor or a video game; rather, they are defined primarily around driving, safety, and convenience features. In a car, it is crucial to accurately measure information such as vehicle speed, the condition of the engine or motor, battery and fuel levels, and the surrounding environment, and to control the vehicle appropriately based on that information. Therefore, it is advantageous to use embedded systems designed specifically for the purpose and environment of a car rather than general-purpose computers.
Automotive embedded systems can be categorized into several areas based on their functions, including Chassis, Powertrain, Body, and Multimedia. In the Chassis area, functions related to the vehicle’s movement—such as braking, steering, and suspension—are controlled based on various data, including vehicle speed and distance to surrounding vehicles. In the powertrain domain, these functions control the generation and transmission of power, taking into account this information as well as the status of the engine, transmission, and battery. The body domain manages functions related to the convenience and safety of the driver and passengers, such as seats, the instrument panel, lighting, and doors, while the multimedia domain handles navigation, telematics, audio and video, and various in-vehicle information and communication functions. Today, software-centric functions—such as driver assistance systems, driving automation, vehicle networks, and connectivity—are becoming increasingly important.
Each of these systems collects necessary information from sensors and other electronic control units (ECUs), processes that information, and responds appropriately to the situation. Whereas cars of the past were more like machines that moved based on the user’s direct input, cars equipped with embedded systems have evolved into active systems capable of performing specific functions based on the vehicle’s status and the surrounding environment, even without the user making direct judgments or operating them. Of course, it would not be entirely accurate to immediately label such vehicles as artificial intelligence systems in the same sense as human intelligence; however, they clearly possess characteristics distinct from the mechanical vehicles of the past in that they use sensors and computers to assess situations and control vehicle functions based on those assessments.
For a car to function “smartly” in this way, the software of the embedded system must be implemented stably and sophisticatedly. Automotive software is not simply a single program; rather, it is structured in multiple layers so that it can control the hardware, enable various software components to communicate with one another, and perform application functions. In the past, this could be explained in terms of embedded operating systems, embedded middleware, and embedded application software. The operating system provides a basic execution environment that allows applications to run on the hardware; middleware abstracts the differences between applications, the operating system, and the hardware or provides necessary services; and application software performs the functions required in the actual vehicle. AUTOSAR, one of today’s leading automotive software standards, has also evolved by dividing software into multiple layers and components to reduce dependencies between hardware and application software and to enhance software reusability and interoperability.
Among these, the embedded operating system and execution environment serve as a critical foundation for the stable operation of automotive software. An operating system can be described as a type of runtime environment that manages the resources necessary for programs executed directly by the user or various vehicle control software to function. This concept is easy to understand if you think of a sports field. If the field is divided into sections for various activities—such as basketball, soccer, and running—and managed so that multiple people can use the time and space they need while exercising simultaneously, each activity can proceed efficiently without interfering with one another. Similarly, a typical operating system manages multiple programs so that they do not conflict with one another, use system resources efficiently, and operate stably.
Software for embedded systems used in automobiles requires characteristics different from those of programs running on general-purpose PCs. In particular, while a vehicle is in motion, there are often situations where urgent or critical information must be processed within a specified timeframe. Therefore, in automotive systems, the characteristics of a real-time operating system (RTOS)—which can process specific tasks within a limited time—are crucial, and the system must be able to properly handle inputs from various sensors and control devices. This is because if information related to speed, steering, braking, and vehicle status is not processed at the appropriate time, the consequences can go beyond simple program errors and directly impact vehicle safety. AUTOSAR, the automotive software standard, provides a software architecture that takes real-time performance and safety into account based on the vehicle’s functions and requirements; the Classic Platform, in particular, is used for embedded systems with hard real-time and safety constraints.
Leveraging these characteristics, the development of embedded operating systems and software for automobiles has become a critical field that directly impacts vehicle performance and safety. Whereas in the past, a vehicle’s core competitiveness was largely determined by mechanical performance—such as the engine, transmission, and body—electronic control units, software, vehicle networks, sensors, and computing platforms have now established themselves as key competitive factors. AUTOSAR, the leading standard for automotive software, has been developed since 2003 by major companies in the automotive and software industries to establish an open standard for automotive electrical and electronic (E/E) architectures. Currently, it offers not only the Classic Platform—designed for microcontroller-based real-time control and safety requirements—but also the Adaptive Platform for applications such as high-performance computing ECUs and autonomous driving.
In particular, as the automotive industry continues to embrace software, the role of automotive software has become significantly greater than in the past. Whereas the typical structure in the past involved multiple ECUs responsible for specific functions operating relatively independently, automotive electrical and electronic architectures are now evolving toward integrating multiple functions and leveraging high-performance computing resources. Consequently, automotive software is evolving beyond simply being control programs tied to specific hardware; it is becoming increasingly important to have a structure where various software components communicate with one another and can continuously expand and manage vehicle functions. AUTOSAR is also developing the Adaptive Platform for high-performance ECUs alongside the Classic Platform, and has recently been advancing executable platforms and related technologies to support Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs).
Just as Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS have competed in the smartphone market centered on operating systems, the importance of software and operating platforms is growing in the automotive industry as well. However, unlike smartphones, automobiles are not products composed solely of software. In vehicles, software must operate in conjunction with various sensors, actuators, electronic control units (ECUs), vehicle networks, and electrical and electronic hardware, and the demands for safety and reliability are extremely high. Therefore, the ability to design and integrate hardware and software together is crucial in the automotive industry. The development of AUTOSAR—a standardized interface that reduces dependencies between applications, hardware, and ECUs while increasing software reusability—is directly related to these requirements.
Given that South Korea’s automotive and electronics/IT industries have developed in tandem, the country is highly likely to secure a significant competitive edge in the field of automotive embedded systems. As automobiles evolve from simple machines into systems that combine electronic devices and software, the convergence of various technologies—including not only automotive manufacturing but also semiconductors, sensors, communications, operating systems, software platforms, and artificial intelligence—becomes increasingly important. In particular, as automobiles evolve into software-defined vehicles, the ability to implement and manage vehicle functions through software is becoming one of the key factors determining competitiveness in the automotive industry. Therefore, if South Korean automotive companies and electronics and IT firms continue to build technical capabilities in the fields of automotive software and embedded systems, they will be able to demonstrate new competitive advantages in the global automotive market.
Whereas in the past, a car was a complex machine driven primarily by an engine and mechanical parts, it is now becoming more like a massive computer system in which numerous sensors, electronic control units, communication systems, computing devices, and software are interconnected and operate together. In fact, AUTOSAR is currently standardizing various areas of automotive software, including communication, execution environments, diagnostics, hardware support, software updates, safety, security, and storage functions, while the Adaptive Platform is evolving to address fields requiring high-performance computing, such as autonomous driving.
Ultimately, the statement that “the car has become a computer” does not simply mean that a single computer has been installed inside the vehicle. It is closer in meaning to the idea that, as the role of software—which controls the vehicle’s various functions and processes information—grows in importance, the car itself is transforming into a massive electronic and software system. To understand the future evolution of automobiles, it is necessary to examine not only mechanical technologies such as engines and vehicle bodies but also technologies like embedded systems, operating systems, software platforms, sensors, vehicle networks, and artificial intelligence. Cars are no longer merely machines that transport people to their desired destinations; they are evolving into intelligent mobility systems that perceive their surroundings, process data, and implement various functions through software.
