use cases
full eds development
for north american oem
project overview
For a North American OEM in the early-stage vehicle development phase, aivato acted as a full-service EDS engineering partner for a hybrid SUV and pickup platform with range extender. The project was executed as a contract for work and services, covering the complete wiring system development from early concept to series development.
In addition to series development, aivato was also responsible for the development and delivery of wiring harnesses for prototype vehicles (mules), operating under significant time constraints typical for early validation phases.
the challenge
- The project faced a fundamental architectural shift during an already ongoing development
phase.
- Migration from a domain-based E/E architecture to a zonal architecture
- Integration and packaging of new control units within an existing vehicle layout
- Limited internal structures and engineering resources on OEM side
- High development pressure due to startup dynamics and timelines
- Parallel development of prototype (mule) harnesses under aggressive timing targets
- This resulted in a highly dynamic environment with continuous changes, high workload, and the need for fast, solution-oriented decision-making.
our approach & solution
aivato took full ownership of the EDS development scope and acted as both execution and structuring partner. We combined hands-on engineering with method-driven system development and early-stage automation capabilities:
- Establishment of EDS development standards and workflows
- End-to-end development of system (SYS) and KAB schematics
- Full 3D wiring harness design and integration
- Development of components (e.g., brackets, grommets)
- Creation of 2D manufacturing drawings
- Definition of safety, floor, and supply concepts
- Integration of a zonal architecture variant for the main body harness (without KSK)
- Execution of IPS simulations for system validation
- Development and delivery of prototype (mule) wiring harnesses
- design release engineering (DRE) of all harnesses
To accelerate prototype readiness, we leveraged our internal software engine to significantly reduce engineering cycle times. This enabled the creation of complete 2D manufacturing drawings for mule harnesses within approximately 6 weeks, compared to typical industry timelines of 10–12 weeks.
Close collaboration with the OEM teams ensured a highly effective, solution-driven working model based on continuous alignment and fast iteration.
key outcome
- Successful transformation toward a zonal E/E architecture during active development
- Delivery of prototype (mule) harnesses under aggressive timelines
- Reduction of engineering lead time by up to 50% for critical development phases
- Full delivery of a production-ready wiring system
- Scalable system foundation aligned with future vehicle architectures
Scope: Full EDS development (SUV & Pickup, Hybrid with Range Extender)
Customer: North American OEM (confidential)
Team Size: ~30 FTE
Model: Contract for Work and Services
