RemotiveLabs Brings Vehicle Virtualization to Horizon

RemotiveLabs Integrates Vehicle Virtualization With Horizon

RemotiveLabs is collaborating with Google Cloud to bring its vehicle virtualization technology to Horizon, an open-source platform for developing, testing and deploying automotive software. The integration expands Horizon beyond cockpit and infotainment systems by introducing an executable virtual model of a vehicle's electrical and electronic architecture. This allows developers to test software across a full virtual vehicle before physical vehicles are available. The approach is intended to provide a broader software development and integration environment as automotive systems become increasingly dependent on complex electronic architectures and software.

Virtual Vehicle Model Enables Earlier Software Testing

The integration is designed to let developers work with a virtual representation of the complete vehicle rather than limiting software validation to individual cockpit or infotainment functions. RemotiveLabs' technology provides an executable model of the vehicle's electrical and electronic architecture, enabling software to be tested against virtualized vehicle behavior before physical hardware is available. This can create a shared environment for development and integration testing, giving automakers, Tier 1 suppliers and technology companies a common way to evaluate software and system interactions during earlier stages of development.

RemotiveTopology Represents Vehicle Systems as Code

At the center of the technology is RemotiveLabs' RemotiveTopology, which represents vehicle systems as version-controlled, testable code. The technology can replicate the network communications of a finished vehicle, allowing software developers to work against a virtual representation of vehicle connectivity and system behavior. By treating the vehicle topology as executable and testable code, the approach connects software development practices with the underlying electrical and electronic architecture. The collaboration with Google Cloud extends this capability into Horizon and supports a broader environment for automotive software development and integration testing.

Virtualized Vehicles Could Support System-Level AI Development

The companies also view the virtualized vehicle as a potential foundation for using AI agents to develop and test software at the system level. A virtual vehicle can provide an environment in which software and interactions between vehicle systems can be evaluated without requiring a physical vehicle for every development cycle. This concept is particularly relevant to software-defined vehicle development, where changes can affect multiple electronic systems and network communications. The integration therefore extends the role of vehicle virtualization from development and testing toward a broader software engineering environment that can support increasingly automated system-level workflows.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The collaboration could strengthen virtual development as an important part of automotive software engineering by giving automakers, Tier 1 suppliers and technology companies a shared environment for system-level testing before physical vehicles are available. The ability to represent electrical and electronic architectures as executable, version-controlled code can also improve the connection between software development and vehicle integration workflows. If virtualized vehicles become increasingly capable of reproducing real vehicle communications and system behavior, the approach could support broader adoption of earlier software validation and AI-assisted development across increasingly complex software-defined vehicle programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the RemotiveLabs and Google Cloud integration bring to Horizon?
RemotiveLabs is bringing vehicle virtualization technology to Horizon, enabling developers to test automotive software against a full virtual vehicle before physical vehicles are available. The integration expands Horizon beyond cockpit and infotainment systems by providing an executable model of a vehicle's electrical and electronic architecture. RemotiveTopology represents vehicle systems as version-controlled, testable code and can replicate network communications from a finished vehicle. The companies also see this virtualized environment as a potential foundation for AI agents that develop and test software at the system level.