An Architectural Overview of GM's Ultifi
As a Michigander, I feel like it’s only right to explore what GM, one of the state’s automotive giants, is doing with software like Ultifi.
Whether you love it or hate it, GM's Ultifi looks like it is here to stay. GM introduced Ultifi as an end-to-end vehicle software platform. Ultifi, by design, is an attempt to modernize how GM vehicles are connected to their owners. I want to discuss in more detail about Ultifi's architecture.
System Design
Ultifi builds on top of GM's Vehicle Intelligence Platform (VIP), which is basically the brain of the car. It is the hardware + the core vehicle network architecture. Ultifi is the software platform that sits on top of VIP, running applications, OTA updates, and cloud-connected features; it is the centralized software layer. It allows Ultifi to work with the in-vehicle hardware components like the sensors, actuators, etc. through software, while isolating the low-level hardware controls from the high level-applications. This is very important, because it lets new software features be added or updated through Ultifi without changing the safety control logic for the underlying vehicle hardware.
Ultifi is an end-to-end platform that connects the in-vehicle system to external systems and services. Through built-in network connectivity, Ultifi can work with cloud services and devices in real-time.
The enablement of real-time connectivity also allows for cool, and futuristic technologies like Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication. V2X lets the vehicle exchange data with other vehicles, infrastructure (traffic lights), etc. V2X can alert drivers about hazards on the roads, making the roads safer for drivers and pedestrians.
Software Stack
Operating System and Middleware
Ultifi is a Linux-based system at its core. GM worked with Red Hat to use a functional-safety-certified Linux distribution as the foundation of Ultifi. All of this means that Ultifi's kernel is basically secure.
On top of the operating system, Ultifi adds a middle layer / service layer that hides the complexity of the car's hardware. The middle layer gives applications a standard way to talk to the vehicle's systems; essentially, developers will not need to deal with the hardware directly.
The centralized software layer talks with all the major vehicle domains like the infotainment system, connectivity, cabin functions, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) via the VIP architecture. All the electronic subsystems can be orchestrated and accessed through the unified software platform making this very beneficial to simplifying the development of features across the entire vehicle.
Application and Cloud Layers
At the top of the software stack, you have the software apps and services that give you the user-facing functionality. There is support for GM-developed software, and third-party applications running in the vehicle's environment.
Cloud integration is a key part of the architecture. Ultifi vehicles communicate with GM's backend servers for many purposes like OTA updates, retrieving data, and sending data. GM believes that the cloud-native design implemented in Ultifi will speed up development in automative software. Think of it like how your smartphone works! Some computational tasks get offloaded to the cloud, while the results are delivered to the car. Users interact with apps and features in the vehicle, while Ultifi's cloud connectivity makes sure information is up-to-date. Profiles are managed in the cloud and synced across vehicles. Imagine you rent a vehicle with the Ultifi system; Since your profile is stored into the cloud: your seat position, HVAC preferences, and infotainment settings can be synced to the rental.
Over the Air Updates and Edge Computing Capabilities
OTA Updates
The over-the-air update features Ultifi offers are very similar to how smartphones work. Software updates, application updates, and new features are pushed straight to the vehicle without having to visit a dealership or service center.
Let us look at a real-world example of why this is cool: GM could push an update to the vehicle that improves fuel efficiency algorithms without requiring an appointment to the dealership.
Edge Computing
Ultifi treats the vehicle as an intelligent edge computing device. This means the vehicle is capable of real-time data processing on board. Each Ultifi vehicle will come with high-performance computing hardware that will run millions of lines of code. The local computing power that Ultifi can leverage allows the car to respond to inputs and events quickly. Ultifi vehicles can use cameras and other sensor data to implement safety and other functions on the fly. For example, a vehicle can use interior cameras to detect children in the backseat and automatically engage child locks or issue a reminder. Advanced driver-assistance functions are supported in the framework, too. The platform's design allows it to take care of ADAS and other time-sensitive control software along with also taking care of the infotainment system and applications.
Ultifi's architecture balances between real-time responsiveness and cloud-enhanced capabilities, giving the result of a vehicle platform where features like hazard alerts, and adaptive vehicle behaviors can operate in an instant on the road.
Application Development Ecosystem
As mentioned before, one of the biggest aspects of Ultifi is that it opens up GM's platform to software developers whether it is first-party or third-party developers. Since Ultifi is Linux-based, it means that it uses a common operating system that is also open-sourced. Developers who are familiar with Linux and cloud-native development can easily utilize their skillset to develop automotive applications. GM really took a lot of inspiration from smartphones. Ultifi provides APIs and toolkits for authorized developers to create apps and services like weather apps that communicate with the car's wipers and HVAC system.
GM has also been working with open-source and industry groups to standardize vehicle software interfaces. A protocol contributed by GM, called uProtocol, aims at bringing software interoperability across vehicles, phones, and cloud services.
Ultifi's architecture is benefitted by GM's internal software development. Since GM consolidates software and abstracts hardware differences, GM's first-party developers can write a feature or service once and bring it to many different vehicle models that use Ultifi. No need to rewrite code. These features can be delivered using OTA updates. This is quite exciting because it means a significantly improved development cycle, and frees up more time to create features and services that bring business value.
The company's leadership is kind of describing GM as a platform company. Their product is no longer static, but a continuously updatable platform. Ultifi is part of GM's broad strategy of generating revenue from software and services.
Security and Modularity in the Architecture
As with many applications (hopefully), Ultifi is designed with security in mind. VIP particularly, provides robust cybersecurity at the vehicle network level by securing gateways, providing encryption through protocols, and including built-in security modules that protect the critical systems of the vehicle.
Ultifi's software is really modern; for example, due to its close collaboration with Red Hat, GM can meet automotive safety standards, even as the software evolves. Traditional software in vehicles may have to go through a re-certification process that is quite lengthy. GM and Red Hat are able to achieve this by modularizing and compartmentalizing safety-critical code.
Conclusion
Ultifi is a shift in how GM will design and support its fleet. GM is taking a page out of Tesla's book by focusing on the software side instead of just hardware. Ultifi signals GM’s transition from a traditional automaker to a software-first mobility platform — and it might just shape how we think about cars in the next decade.