• A communication standard already powering over 40 million vehicles will now be available for broader adoption across Automotive Ethernet–based architectures.
  • The SOME/IP specification will be free for everyone, enabling the global automotive ecosystem to innovate without proprietary constraints.

Mumbai  : Technica Engineering, a pioneer in Automotive Ethernet and communication systems (Member of KPIT Group) and KPIT Technologies, a global leader in building mobility solutions for a cleaner, smarter, and safer world, today announced the decision to open the full specification of SOME/IP (Scalable Service-Oriented Middleware over IP), a foundational communication standard for Automotive Ethernet in next-generation vehicles. This historic step is set to enable collaboration, unlocking broader innovation and accelerating software maturity across the mobility ecosystem.

SOME/IP, originally started by Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW), has become one of the most widely deployed middleware protocols for in-vehicle Ethernet communication, operating in more than 40 million vehicles worldwide. It enables large amounts of data to be transferred in a very secure manner into different ECUs, sensors, cameras, and cloud services in the vehicle over Automotive Ethernet. These capabilities are central to the progression of Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), advanced driver assistance, and connected mobility.

Until now, the availability of SOME/IP had been closely tied to established automotive standards, limiting ease of access to developers. By making this specification openly available and free for everyone, Technica Engineering and KPIT are aiming to enable OEMs, suppliers, software developers and academic institutions to build, test and, innovate at scale. This will accelerate the deployment of software-defined vehicle features and promote co-development of new connected-mobility innovations.

With expanding applications across passenger, commercial and special-purpose vehicles, a fully open SOME/IP specification will promote greater safety, cybersecurity readiness, and operational efficiency. It will also ensure interoperability across diverse architectures, which is increasingly critical as mobility systems become more complex. Behind every connected and intelligent vehicle is a constant exchange of data between cameras, sensors and computing systems. SOME/IP plays a critical role in enabling this real-time communication backbone – silently supporting the complex functions that define modern mobility.

Commenting on this, Mr. Anup Sable, Chief Operating Officer, KPIT Technologies and Managing Director, Technica Engineering, said, Automotive Network Architecture and Software complexity has risen sharply, as sensors, high performance computers, and actuators increasingly connected by Ethernet seek to drive speed innovation and consumer-centric vehicle feature updates. Communication protocols and Service Oriented Architecture inside the vehicle are now central to how OEMs architect these systems and scale differentiated experiences for millions of customers. By open sourcing SOME/IP, our intent is to make the protocol more widely accessible to developers, so the ecosystem can innovate faster and deliver better software defined vehicles.”

Mr. Thomas Königseder, CTO of Technica Engineering , said, “Opening up SOME/IP to the broader community is a decisive milestone for the future of Automotive Ethernet and modern automotive E/E architectures. As the industry moves toward truly service-oriented vehicle platforms, SOME/IP is a foundational enabler—but until now, its potential has been constrained by restrictive licenses that limited open-source adoption and the development speed that comes with it. By making this technology accessible under a new, open license, we unlock faster innovation, stronger ecosystem collaboration, and ultimately safer, more secure, and more connected vehicles. We’re proud to support a step that reinforces the core of Automotive Ethernet and accelerates the industry’s shift toward the software-defined vehicle era.”

Dr. Lars Völker, Technical Fellow, Head of Media Relations of Technica Engineering, said, “Publishing SOME/IP as an open specification is a milestone for our industry. It removes long-standing barriers, ensures transparency, and provides a solid and accessible foundation for modern automotive architectures. By enabling open-source development, we will dramatically accelerate development cycles, improve interoperability across platforms, and unlock faster, more collaborative innovation for the software-defined vehicle.”