As the automotive industry transitions towards software-defined vehicles (SDVs), new architectural concepts like zonal architecture are gaining attention for their potential to enhance software performance and reduce the wiring of its software systems. This presentation examines the benefits and complexities introduced by these new architectures. With the release of ASPICE PAM 4.0, which introduces new and redefined processes, the “Formula Q Capability Software” has been updated to continue to serve as the VW Group’s main software quality assurance requirements document. This revision provides a comprehensive framework for supplier quality assurance, emphasizing attention to key processes that are crucial for managing integration challenges presented by next-generation vehicle architectures.

• Emphasizing the importance of focusing on integration processes to maintain system coherence, when conducting ASPICE assessments featuring future vehicle architectures
• Highlight the changes in Formula Q Capability Software (4th edition) and how they align with the updated ASPICE PAM 4.0 and impact assessment scopes and processes
• Explore the key difficulties ASPICE assessors face when evaluating new electronic architectures, like zonal architecture

• What are the primary integration challenges introduced by zonal architectures in comparison to traditional E/E architectures?
• How do the updated processes in ASPICE PAM 4.0 support or complicate assessments in the context of these new architectures?
• In what ways does the 4th edition of Formula Q Capability Software bridge the gap between supplier practices and the expectations of SDV-oriented architectures?
• Which ASPICE processes become more critical when assessing systems built on zonal or centralized architectures?
• How should assessors approach the validation of communication and data flow in distributed, software-driven architectures?