Excelfore, an innovator in connected car technologies, announces that Jiangling Motors Corporation Limited (JMC) has adopted the eSync data pipeline for over-the-air (OTA) updates across five Ford and JMC vehicle models.
JMC now utilizes eSync to update telematics, infotainment, body, powertrain and emissions controls, as well as other technical domains throughout their vehicles. The first of the JMC China-built vehicles with the eSync platform went into production earlier this year.
The key benefits of eSync for JMC are manifest in the system’s structured approach and rapid migration across their many car models, delivering valuable time savings and reduced development costs. The in-vehicle client-agent structure of the eSync platform means that the client software, which is the central component, effectively remains the same despite being implemented in widely varying types of vehicles. The defining concept is that eSync agents, distributed throughout the vehicle, manage the edge devices, so that changes to these various devices requires modification just to the agents. Other competing OTA solutions require time-consuming re-writing of their central or master software for each new model vehicle, demanding significantly more effort and cost.
Ted Huang, CTO of JMC, said, “It is a fact that OTA updates are becoming increasingly ubiquitous in modern vehicles. We have chosen the Excelfore eSync solution as a part of the JMC strategy to remain at the forefront of technological innovation in today’s competitive automotive market.”
Shrinath Acharya, CEO at Excelfore, commented, “JMC is a major automaker that builds excellent cars and trucks for the China domestic market, and for export to many parts of the world. We are honored to bring them a solution that meets their needs across so many models in their product line.”
Based in Nanchang, JMC is a joint venture between Ford and Chang’an Motors. It manufactures Ford-branded vehicles as well as cars under its own Yusheng brand and JMC commercial vehicles. JMC employs more than 16,000 people and in 2019 it manufactured more than 280,000 vehicles, achieving total sales revenues of RMB 29.17 billion (approximately US$4.3 billion).
eSync is a multi-company specification promoted by the eSync Alliance. It can deliver and update software and firmware over the air, while collecting real-time operational data from in-car devices including ECUs, domain master ECUs, network gateways, and smart sensors. With a global network of co-operating suppliers, the eSync data pipeline helps carmakers avoid costly and inconvenient vehicle recalls, and enables vehicle software and features to be updated in the field. For information on the eSync Alliance, see: www.esyncalliance.org