The recently published position paper contains an analysis of the role of software technology for "Key Digital Technologies (KDT)”. This is a planned new public-private partnership to be institutionalized under Horizon Europe (2021-2027). Already the predecessor partnership ECSEL focused on electronic components and systems in which embedded software plays an important role. Building on ECSEL, the new KDT partnership is to focus even more strongly on the software aspects of electronic components and systems through appropriate research and innovation actions.

NESSI fully supports this extension, as software technologies have proven to be a game changer for digitalization in different industry sectors. At the same time, the way we develop and operate software is evolving significantly, powered by multiple key enabling technologies emerging recently, such as AI and ubiquitous connectivity. However, advances in software engineering are mainly within the original software industry, and are adopted only with significant delay in other industry sectors. In this paper, the NESSI experts analyze the important challenges that hinder the improvement of software development in the KDT context. To address the challenges and to support the area of KDT with advanced software technologies, NESSI has identified and recommend the following research and innovation topics:

• DevOps for electronic components and systems, involving all players along the KDT value chain.
• Platformization of KDT applications to support software-driven integration and to build ecosystems.
• Digital trust in systems with large number of components in a distributed and context-aware way.
• Management of complexity in the presence of dynamicity and uncertainty arising from, and addressed by, AI-powered self-adaptation.
• Spatial Computing that utilizes advanced human-machine interactions enabled by novel electronic components.
• Software support for sustainable and efficient computing.

Link to the position paper: Software and Key Digital Technologies

Further Information

About NESSI

The European Technology Platform NESSI (The Networked European Software and Services Initiative) wants to establish a coordinated European strategy for ICT, to foster research  investments. NESSI addresses the areas Cloud Computing, Software, Services, Big Data and Cyber-Physical Systems.

paluno is representing the University of Duisburg-Essen as partner in NESSI. We are member of the NESSE board and vice chair of the NESSI steering committee.

Website:  http://www.nessi.eu

About ECSEL

The ECSEL Joint Undertaking - the Public-Private Partnership for Electronic Components and Systems – funds Research, Development and Innovation projects for world-class expertise in these key enabling technologies, essential for Europe's competitive leadership in the era of the digital economy.

Through the ECSEL JU, the European industry, SMEs and Research and Technology Organisations are supported and co-financed by 30 ECSEL Participating States and the European Union. paluno is representing the University of Duisburg-Essen as member in ECSEL.

Website: https://www.ecsel.eu/