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The future of vehicles is defined by software, and General Motors is leading the way in creating future vehicles developed around software that powers them. Built on intelligent, connected platforms the future of mobility is high-tech, agile and bolstered by consistent updates to code and the software architecture we call Ultifi1.
Ultifi is GM’s new end-to-end vehicle software platform that will allow for frequent over-the-air software updates, seamless cloud-connectivity and vehicle-to-everything communication. And as impressive as its code may be, the people who make it all possible are more impressive still.
Our Software Defined Vehicle engineers have combined scientific knowledge and expertise with passionate leadership skills to develop the cutting-edge software behind Ultifi. All the while, it’s their compassion that unites them in their dedication to achieve our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion.
Leading engineers like Sushama Mithapally, group manager for Ultifi apps engineering, have taken their careers to new heights in GM’s transformation from automaker to platform innovator. Mithapally works on features that can be introduced without waiting for the next model year, and executing toward the zero, zero, zero vision is her North Star. As smart products like phones and TVs move through generational updates, connected vehicles could be seen as sitting at a major turning point.
“Could I have imagined working on something like this growing up? Absolutely not!” Mithapally says. “I couldn’t have even imagined this five years ago. The pace GM moves to make things happen is so exciting.”
Rapid technological innovation is key for developers like Mithapally, as software is the backbone of GM’s ambitious goals. Software development has been integral to GM’s work for years in everything from OnStar2 to smartphone apps, and GM is advancing its expertise in the field as it looks toward the future. An example of this is Super Cruise3, which pioneered the way as the first available true hands-free driver assistance technology for compatible roads.
Meanwhile, software-defined features surrounding route-planning, integrated charging networks and cloud services help diminish range anxiety and make electric vehicles—a cornerstone to helping to reduce tailpipe emissions—the best vehicles on the market. Not to be left out, advanced vehicle software also could help eliminate congestion. For example, BrightDrop, GM’s tech startup focused on decarbonizing the last-mile, is actively developing an ecosystem of products and services designed to help reduce the time vans spend parked in traffic.
“My work is an enabler of GM’s zero vision,” Embedded Software Platform Engineer Kristine Pankow said. “At GM, we are working to pave roads to a sustainable transportation industry. We are no longer limited to the constructs of traditional automakers and are gearing ourselves to be a mobility software leader.”
With GM reimagining mobility, engineers who work on Ultifi find themselves at the center of it all. Developers carry out work that creates a framework through Ultifi to help advance safety and sustainability at every turn, and its impact is always top of mind for those working on it.
“As a mother, I fear the time any parent gets a call about their child in a collision,” Mithapally said. “So, I really truly believe in GM’s vision, and the safety aspect really drives me in the work I do every day.”
Part of Ultifi’s effectiveness is how it enables frequent and seamless software updates in vehicles, meaning consumers can have trailblazing technological advancements in safety, security, customization and convenience at their fingertips quickly. Updates that are added to new vehicles will now be deployed in a fraction of the time.
When people ask Executive Director of Ultifi platform, Apps/Services and Framework, Abdul Bazzi what he does at work, they’re often blown away by how much influence software has on every aspect of next-generation vehicles. When they hear Bazzi explain it, it’s clear that the world’s best tech talent has expanded into the automotive industry with poise and passion. Having such clear and powerful goals also attracts new talent from outside the company that are looking for their next great opportunity in tech.
“I often tell software engineers interested in working at GM that I love our mission of zero, zero, zero, and also much is driven by software,” Bazzi said. “Zero crashes and congestion–that is our AVs and V2X communication. Zero tailpipe emissions – that is our [Ultium] batteries and their management systems. What greater mission do you want to be a part of? This is it. This is where the hub of technology is.”
If you are interested in helping Sushama, Kristine and Abdul develop our software-defined vehicle future, please visit the GM Career Site to learn more.