In the past, a car’s value was primarily determined by parameters such as its horsepower, torque, or aesthetic appeal. While these still matter, consumers today seek greater comfort and convenience while driving. In addition, they expect regular enhancements in performance, functionality, and user experience delivered to their car via over-the-air (OTA) upgrades, just like their smartphones.
Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) are reshaping mobility, changing vehicles from static machines to platforms that become increasingly intelligent over time. The Indian software-defined vehicle market is projected to touch USD 9.16 billion in FY2033, up from USD 2.69 billion in FY2025, according to a study.
Millennials and Gen Z see automobiles more as digital companions than as machines. They want cars that promote sustainability, adjust to their tastes, and sync with their gadgets. Strong, scalable storage that can handle both customisation and energy-efficient systems is essential to meeting this demand.
As these functionalities evolve, they drive up the demand for storage. As per analysts, by 2030, cars may require anywhere between 2TB and 19TB of onboard storage to handle infotainment, autonomy, and ongoing improvements.
Safety Decisions in the Blink of an Eye
Each SDV is packed with sensors, including cameras, radar, and LiDAR, which collectively results in considerable data volumes. One autonomous test vehicle generates about 30 terabytes of data in a day.
This data is analysed in real time to identify road signs, detect pedestrians, and apply the brakes in an emergency. The error margins are in the order of milliseconds. Therefore, storage must deliver low latency, great durability, and unwavering dependability.
Cars as Rolling Digital Hubs
The modern automobile has turned into a digital extension of our lives. Automotive consumers seek voice assistants that respond swiftly, apps that launch quickly and entertainment systems that stream smoothly.
At the heart of these experiences is storage, which houses everything from user preferences to media libraries. Technologies such as automotive-grade Universal Flash Storage (UFS) help sustain these systems’ functionality while offering customers the responsiveness they’ve come to expect from smartphones—but now on wheels.
In addition, automotive artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), Autonomous Driving (AD) and eCockpit need to pull information from sensors, maps and AI databases to function safely. Embedded flash drives (EFD) ensure that data is available and reliable when it’s needed. They provide real-time in-vehicle storage to overcome latency and connectivity issues that arise when accessing the cloud.
The Always-Upgradeable Car
One of the most important changes brought about by SDVs is the fact that car functionalities can evolve over time by simply adding new features, addressing bugs, and improving performance.
New age EFDs enable software updates to happen faster, thus reducing downtime for customers and allowing SDVs to get on the road more quickly and reliably.
However, these updates must be stored securely, and reviewed and implemented without jeopardising any essential systems. To accomplish this, the industry follows rigorous standards on safety, including ISO/SAE 21434 on cybersecurity and ISO 26262.
Talking to the World Around Them
Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, in which automobiles communicate with infrastructure, traffic systems, and each other, is the next frontier for SDVs. Imagine cars coordinating with traffic signals to prevent congestion or exchanging warnings about treacherous roads.
A huge amount of both permanent and transitory data is produced by these ongoing interactions. Longer-term archiving and quick edge processing must be matched in storage. A combination of centralised computing and zonal design can help handle this complexity As a result, automobiles are quickly evolving into moving data centres.
Built for the Road, Not the Server Room
Electronics and storage in a car must often withstand extreme conditions, unlike a server rack in a climate-controlled data centre. Everyday conditions include dust, humidity, vibration, and extremely high or low temperatures.
For this purpose, automakers use storage systems designed for durability and energy efficiency, such as integrated flash and toughened SD cards. These storage devices, made to withstand the road, guarantee that data continues to flow regardless of the circumstances.
Storage as the New Engine
While the previous century’s advancements in automobiles were mostly around engines, this century’s automobile innovations are about data. And storage is at the centre of this change.
Storage has emerged as the new, silent, secure, and vital mobility engine in the world of software-defined cars. It enables real-time safety, supports digital experiences, secures updates, and powers V2X communication.
As the industry rushes towards developing automobiles that are smarter, safer, and constantly upgradeable: the data that storage provides will power mobility in the future, not just energy or fuel.
Subind Kumar is Vice President of Content Solution Group at Sandisk. Views expressed are the author’s personal.