SECOR SDV LAB
The new development board for Software Defined Vehicles.
Hardware and software developed together from the start — not just brought together at the prototype stage. Software integration checked every sprint (e.g. every 14 days). Fewer errors, faster time-to-market, and OTA-capable across the entire lifecycle.
The challenge
Vehicle development costs too much and takes too long. Why is that still the case?
Today, ECU components are tendered as a package. Software and hardware come from different suppliers and only meet at the prototype stage — where the most expensive part of development begins: integration. Error lists. Iterations. Delays. Queries.
You know this:
- 150 ECUs (incl. software) are developed separately and must later be laboriously brought together
- Integration problems only arise in the prototype when changes are expensive
- Error lists grow with each iteration cycle
What it costs:
compared to an integrated hardware-software process
Longer development cycles
Source: AUTOMOBIL ELEKTRONIK
Errors don't start in testing.
They start when hardware and software meet too late.
The explanatory video
SECOR SDV LAB in a Nutshell - explained in 2:30 min.
What is the SECOR SDV LAB?
A real development environment - not another concept.
SECOR SDV LAB flips the development model. Tier 1 suppliers can now separate hardware and software as early as the tendering phase and develop both in a single, integrated process — resulting in fewer integration problems, shorter development cycles, and lower costs.
SECOR SDV LAB is a physical hardware and software platform that maps the entire development and integration process for Software-Defined Vehicles in one environment. From the first component split to SOP release, Tier 1 suppliers work directly with OEMs and other Tier 1 suppliers to optimize software integration early in the product development process.
The SDV LAB contains
- Two ZCU (Zonal Control Unit): zonal control unit on which the software modules of the Tier 1s run
- A CCU (Central Control Unit): central computing unit for the vehicle architecture
- SECOR.connect: standardized interface modules for sensors and actuators
- Message Broker: Communication layer between all components
- Direct connection to the SECOR SDV AppStore for over-the-air software updates
Tier-1 Suppliers USE CASES
- Separate existing components with ECU into hardware components and software modules
- Develop, test and iterate software modules without waiting for the OEM prototype
- Process OEM error lists directly in LAB and upload corrected versions immediately
- OEM regularly simulates the entire integration process locally before the software is tested in the technology carrier/prototype
The SECOR SDV LAB – the physical development environment for software-defined vehicles. Real hardware, ready for immediate use.
SECOR SDV LAB is available as a compact board (65 × 85 cm) that integrates into existing Tier 1 development infrastructure — no system breaks, no proprietary lock-in. The entry barrier is intentionally low: a Tier 1 supplier can start with a single vehicle function today and gradually expand to the entire vehicle project.
SDV Development Pocess - step by step
SECOR SDV LAB: Development errors are prevented, not repaired.
SECOR SDV LAB enables Tier 1 suppliers to cleanly separate legacy ECU components into distinct hardware and software modules. As OEMs begin issuing separate tenders for each, hardware and software can be developed in parallel — jointly, iteratively, and fast.
approx. 36 months before SoP
Instead of a complete ECU component, OEMs will issue separate tenders for two things: the hardware component (without ECU) and the associated software module, which runs on the Zonal Control Unit (ZCU). SECOR SDV LAB helps Tier 1 suppliers carry out this separation precisely and in a standardized manner.
Integration errors that today only surface at the prototype stage are structurally prevented. Software is part of the development process from day one — not a downstream challenge that pushes SOP dates back
approx. 24 months before SoP
The OEM builds its test vehicle and loads all software directly via OTA from the SECOR SDV AppStore. Weekly function and system checks, structured error reports per Tier 1 module, and corrections made directly in the LAB — an iterative process that eliminates errors before they become costly.
Function and system checks every 14 days, structured error reports per Tier 1 module, corrections applied directly in the LAB — an iterative process that eliminates errors before they become costly.
from SoP onwards
The SECOR SDV AppStore’s pay-per-use model gives Tier 1 suppliers a direct economic incentive to maintain and develop their software across the entire vehicle lifecycle. New features via OTA. Bug fixes without recalls. The vehicle stays permanently up to date.
Software from the predecessor model can be reused. Tier 1 suppliers integrate their software early in the OEM’s Master SDV LAB for new vehicle projects — reaching SOP together, more safely and efficiently.
Benefits at a glance
What you gain - concrete and measurable.
Lower development costs
Through early separation of hardware and software, parallel development and standardized APIs
Updateable over the life cycle
OTA updates and the AppStore model, permanently maintainable software without recalls
Standardized SDV software library, compatible with Eclipse SDV open source standards
Presented for the first time at the IAA Mobility 2025 – recognized as a “game changer” by market observers
Why SECOR SDV Concept
No concept. No promise.
A functioning system.
The SECOR SDV CONCEPT is patent-pending and was first presented at IAA Mobility 2025. Industry observers and the trade press have called it a “game changer” for vehicle development.
Technological basis
- Patent-pending SDV concept
- Standardized software library
- Pin-compatible chips for flexible integration
- Compatible with Eclipse SDV open source standards
- Zonal E/E architecture with central computer
External recognition
- IAA Mobility 2025: First presentation of the SECOR SDV CONCEPT
- Proven methodology
- Rated as a "game changer" by the trade press and analysts
Process overview
How the SECOR SDV LAB process works -
at a glance.
Invitation to tender
Hardware (without ECU) and software module — tendered separately. Tier 1 suppliers use SECOR SDV LAB to separate older components.
Software loaded directly via OTA from the AppStore. 14-day iterations. Errors caught early, costs are kept low.
Series production
Pay-per-use software, OTA updates, and a permanently updatable vehicle platform.
Next step
Ready to structurally eliminate development errors before they become costly?
SECOR SDV LAB is now available. In an initial meeting, we’ll show you how the new development process fits into your existing supplier structure — with minimal disruption and measurable results.
Learn more about the SECOR SDV CONCEPT — already called a “game changer” by E/E experts.
Get in early and be part of the next stage of development from the start.
We’re happy to answer any questions — just reach out.