NEMO project aims at advancing the state of the art of battery management systems (BMS) by engaging advanced physics-based and data-driven battery models and state estimation techniques. Towards achieving this goal, the consortium tends to provide efficient software and hardware to handle, host, process, and execute these approaches within high-end local processors and cloud computing. NEMO benefits from a wide range of sensor information acquired at high frequencies in addition to dedicated electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) sensors which allow for the identification of ongoing electrochemical reactions inside each individual battery cell. Capable hardware for storing and processing such measurements will be provided by the tier1 members of this industry onboard the consortium. The availability of such diverse physical information on batteries onboard makes room for developing cutting-edge performance, lifetime, and safety battery models and state estimators within NEMO, and validating them on two different BMS configurations. Physics-based performance model parameters continuously get updated as the battery ages, so that performance and safety state indicators maintain the least possible error. The data-driven approaches exploit mathematical algorithms to be trained upon the large datasets made available from historical or laboratory-generated battery information. Combinations of coupled physics-based and data-driven approaches are also foreseen to be implemented within NEMO as another innovation of the project to propose next-generation BMS. Solutions offered by NEMO considerably extend battery life and make the battery system safer within long-term operation since every individual cell is monitored, controlled, and studied. NEMO’s ambitious solutions for stationary and automotive use cases are expected to be validated by industrial partners and to take a considerable share of the market in later years.

Mixed-Criticality Cyber-Physical Systems (MCCPS) deployed in critical domains like automotive and railway are starting to use Over The Air Software Updates (OTASU) for functionality improvement, bug fixing, and solving security vulnerabilities (among others). But, OTASU entails several difficulties: 1) Safety including non-functional properties like real-time, functional safety, and energy-efficiency. 2) Security. OTASU creates entry points for hackers 3) Availability. During updates the system is not available. While this is just inconvenient for mainstream devices, this is not acceptable for critical MCCPS that must remain active during operation. Additionally, computing performance needs are bigger and therefore complex hardware platforms based on multicore processors and accelerators are used in MCCPS. Such complex hardware platforms, software applications are subject to intricate dependences in their functional and non-functional behaviour. For facing these two trends in MCCPS: OTASU and complex hardware platforms, that entails relevant research challenges, the UP2DATE project propose: a new software paradigm for SAfety and SEcurity (SASE) software updates for intelligent and resource intensive MCCPS, promoting a safety and security concept that builds around composability and modularity as main properties to enable a dynamic (post-deployment) validation of SASE properties. A high quality and complementary consortium comprising knowledge generators (IKL, BSC and OFFIS) plus technology integrators (IAV and TTA) and two end uses from the automotive and railway sector (MM and CAF), will be able to test in two uses cases a new software architecture that will enable the runtime deployment of new (mixed-criticality) applications remotely (patching existing functions or extending the functionality) in heterogeneous computing platforms. The total budget foreseen for this research project is around €3.8M.

Nowadays most of the ICT solutions developed by companies require the integration or collaboration with other ICT components, which are typically developed by third parties. Even though this kind of procedures are key in order to maintain productivity and competitiveness, the fragmentation of the supply chain can pose a high risk regarding security, as in most of the cases there is no way to verify if these other solutions have vulnerabilities or if they have been built taking into account the best security practices. In order to deal with these issues, it is important that companies make a change on their mindset, assuming an “untrusted by default” position. According to a recent study only 29% of IT business know that their ecosystem partners are compliant and resilient with regard to security. However, cybersecurity attacks have a high economic impact and it is not enough to rely only on trust. ICT components need to be able to provide verificable guarantees regarding their security and privacy properties. It is also imperative to detect more accurately vulnerabilities from ICT components and understand how they can propagate over the supply chain and impact on ICT ecosystems. However, it is well known that most of the vulnerabilities can remain undetected for years, so it is necessary to provide advanced tools for guaranteeing resilience and also better mitigation strategies, as cybersecurity incidents will happen. Finally, it is necessary to expand the horizons of the current risk assessment and auditing processes, taking into account a much wider threat landscape. BIECO is a holistic framework that will provide these mechanisms in order to help companies to understand and manage the cybersecurity risks and threats they are subject to when they become part of the ICT supply chain. The framework, composed by a set of tools and methodologies, will address the challenges related to vulnerability management, resilience, and auditing of complex systems.

The aim of ACHILES is to develop a more efficient E/E control system architecture optimized for the 3rd generation of EVs by integrating four new technological concepts. Firstly, a new wheel concept design will be equipped with full by-wire braking, including a new friction brake concept. Secondly, a centralized computer platform will host the e-drive functionalities and reduce the number of ECUs and networks while fulfilling safety & security requirements. It will support centralized domain controllers required to implement high automation and autonomy concepts, a key requirement for smart mobility. Thirdly, an out of phase control that will allow to intentionally operate the electric motor inefficiently to dissipate the excess of braking energy in case of fully charged batteries. As a fourth concept, a new torque vectoring algorithm will significantly improve the vehicle dynamics. The advances proposed will reduce the total cost of ownership by 10% and increase the driving range by at least 11% while increasing autonomy. ACHILES will be tested and verified in a real demo vehicle and in a brand-independent testing platform. The project consortium is another major asset. Audi, one of the technologically most advanced OEMs, will integrate these technologies to a next generation of EVs prototype. As a leading supplier, Continental will contribute by the innovative brake system. Elaphe, a leading technology company for e-motor design, will develop the suitable motor technology. TTTech, known for its future oriented network technologies for AI and autonomy-based systems, will be responsible for the networking technology. The academia team consists of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Coordinator), Tecnalia, Ikerlan and the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft. It will provide the technological basis, the modelling and the algorithms for this challenging endeavour. Finally, Idiada will conduct the testing and evaluations verifying and proving the achievement of the promised innovation.

SYS2WHEEL will provide brand-independent components and systems for integrated 3rd generation commercial battery electric vehicles (cBEVs) for CO2-free city logistics. High efficiency, performance, packaging and modularity enable efficient integration. Mass production costs of e-powertrain components and systems will be considerably reduced, while eliminating negative impact on drivability, safety and reliability. The same components and systems shall be used for different commercial vehicle categories, sub-categories and brands, in urban and inter-urban applications. The project will foster the transition to a broad range of cBEVs and will accelerate market penetration of e-powertrain components and systems. SYS2WHEEL will demonstrate its results on N1 and N2 cBEVs and assesses the related potential for the whole range of L and N category cBEVs as well as extensions to M1 and M2 passenger carriers. Essential enabling elements in SYS2WHEEL are e-motors for both, in-wheel and e-axle systems, a novel suspension for in-wheel systems, the in-wheel and e-axle systems themselves, time-sensitive networking, advanced controls, affordable and efficient processes, as well as scalability/ transferability of innovations. Specifically SYS2WHEEL will reduce costs in mass production by at least 20% through components becoming obsolete and reduction of wiring costs due to application of time-sensitive networks. The powertrain efficiency will be increased by improved e-motor windings, advanced rare-earth magnets, reduced powertrain rotating parts, reduced losses, advanced controls and weight reduction. Affordability, and user-friendliness will be addressed by enhanced modularity and packaging, automotive quality by advanced fail-operational safety and ISO 26262 compliance, modular and scalable technologies and lowered total cost of ownership. Space-saving approaches in SYS2WHEEL lead to more freedom for batteries, cargo and drivers.