Schaeffler and Sonatus incorporate Edge AI into motion control to accelerate the shift to centralised electrical and electronic architectures.
Schaeffler and Sonatus have announced a global partnership to bring Edge AI into motion control solutions for software-defined vehicles (SDVs). The companies say that by combining Schaeffler’s control units with Sonatus’s AI-driven software, the companies will enable intelligence directly at the vehicle edge – accelerating development, reducing complexity, and unlocking continuous improvement throughout the vehicle lifecycle.
The companies say the aim is to turn static control units into dynamic, intelligence-driven systems.
The joint solution integrates Sonatus Collector AI and Sonatus AI Director into Schaeffler’s control units, creating a ‘ready-to-use foundation for next-generation vehicle architectures and ensuring a faster time to market’.
“Software-defined vehicles require a robust and scalable hardware foundation,” said Thomas Stierle, CEO E-Mobility at Schaeffler AG. “Our control units run data-driven and AI-based functions within the vehicle, enabling the next generation of vehicle architectures.”
Schaeffler contributes its cross-domain control units and comprehensive system integration expertise across powertrain, energy, chassis, and body domains — enabling centralised and zonal architectures that form the backbone of an SDV.
Sonatus brings to the partnership a track record in production-grade, AI-driven technology for software-defined vehicles that is deployed in more than 8m vehicles. Its solutions extend Schaeffler’s systems with embedded AI capabilities:
- Sonatus Collector AI enables targeted, real-time data collection without relying on large-scale data logging;
- Sonatus AI Director allows the deployment and lifecycle management of AI models directly on the vehicle.
“Hardware centralization is the first step; the software-defined vehicle is realized when AI can be running at the edge and when hardware continuously learns and adapts. Together with Schaeffler, we are turning static control units into dynamic, intelligence-driven systems,” said Jeff Chou, CEO and co-founder of Sonatus.
Benefits for OEMs
The companies claim the solution developed by the partners allows automakers to run and continuously improve key vehicle functions — such as steering, braking, and energy management — directly on the control unit. New features and optimisations can be deployed over the vehicle’s lifecycle without hardware changes.
Furthermore, flexible data collection enables faster issue resolution and deeper insights into vehicle performance, equipping OEMs to better manage increasing system complexity while significantly accelerating development cycles.
“Our central control units are equipped with a pre-integrated software infrastructure that includes solutions such as Sonatus products. This significantly simplifies integration for OEMs and helps them accelerate the centralization of their software architecture,” said Rodrigo Peres, Schaeffler’s senior vice president of Business Unit Vehicle and Battery Controls.
