Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2024. Read them in this 16th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
Embedded Trends to Watch For in 2024
By Semir Haddad, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at
MicroEJ
As 2023 came to
a close, bringing its share of developments amid a
challenging macroeconomic environment and the excitement of generative AI, 2024
holds the promise of many exciting breakthroughs. In this article, we've
identified seven trends that will have an influence in the year ahead, guiding
us through the complexities of an advancing embedded technology industry.
Generative AI's Impact on Embedded Systems
In 2024,
Generative AI is set to revolutionize productivity, potentially doubling
engineers' efficiency (McKinsey). Leaders like Microsoft and Siemens are streamlining
workflows and expediting prototyping, though challenges persist. Beyond
efficiency gains, Generative AI excels in identifying software issues,
enhancing security by uncovering flaws, and facilitating code refactoring for
improved system performance. As we embrace this transformative wave, balancing
the benefits with considerations of code accuracy, copyright concerns, and
confidentiality becomes crucial in the dynamic landscape of embedded systems
development.
Matter Protocol's Dominance
in Shaping Smart Homes
The Matter protocol, gaining momentum since 2023, is set to dominate smart homes.
With Matter 1.2 introducing support for nine
new categories, including robot vacuums and air purifiers, it aims for
universality. The protocol's ability to break down barriers among major players
fosters interoperability, promising a more cohesive experience for smart home
enthusiasts in 2024.
The Increasing Concern for
Sustainability in the IoT
Sustainability takes center stage in 2024 as the industry grapples with the
environmental impact of IoT devices. Estimates suggesting a potential 14% carbon emission from IoT devices by
2040 underscore the urgency. Sustainable design solutions, like tiny containers
for high-level application platforms, emerge as key strategies. Manufacturers
optimizing for energy efficiency contribute to environmental preservation while
enhancing marketability.
Surging Importance of
Embedded Security
In 2024, the prominence of security concerns intensifies, propelled by
regulatory measures, the ascent of AI, and the widespread prevalence of
open-source software. This heightened threat landscape necessitates proactive
measures, including seamless over-the-air updates and cryptographic
attestation. Amid this climate, the focus shifts towards securing the entire
supply chain, encompassing not only open-source software but also third-party
components and legacy code. Legislative initiatives, such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act and the US National Cybersecurity Strategy, underscore
the importance of robust cybersecurity practices across all facets of product
development. Additionally, there is a growing recognition of the role of secure
software development environments as a key mechanism to fortify code before it
enters the repository or build process, ensuring a comprehensive approach to
embedded systems security.
The Rise of Optimized
Software Containers
As Jacob Beningo highlighted,
using containers to design and build embedded software is perhaps the way of
the future. Offering streamlined code reuse and enhanced portability,
containers promise to revolutionize life cycle aspects, particularly impactful
in IoT edge devices. Examples include remote deployment of updates and
simplified feature additions, showcasing their potential in shaping 2024's
embedded systems landscape.
A Transformative Shift to
Safer and More Secure Code
Safety and security concerns in coding are gaining prominence, marking a
notable trend in embedded systems. Traditional reliance on languages like C for
memory efficiency presents challenges regarding security and
reliability as it is more prone to errors. A first trend in 2023 has been to
move to memory-safe languages like RUST, which has been recently adopted
for the Linux kernel. 2024 will see developers moving one step further to
adopt managed code, which offers a transformative solution: it introduces
runtimes that manage the execution environment, simplifying development,
promoting software reuse, and addressing integration complexities. Managed code
will ensure better control over device reliability and security, establishing
itself as a crucial trend.
The Software-Defined Wave in IoT
The software-defined approach defines 2024's future
for embedded systems. Overcoming the limitations of a hardware-first
methodology, this technique embraces abstraction for enhanced software
portability and, most of all, the ability to add new value to the device
through software. As nearly 30 billion products are
poised to connect by 2030, the software-defined approach becomes a strategic
imperative, offering flexibility and scalability crucial for meeting consumer
expectations.
We've just explored seven trends that will be prevalent in
embedded tech in 2024. It's important to note that these insights offer a broad
perspective derived from our extensive experience and observations within the
embedded sector. Given the fast-paced nature of business trends and
technological advancements, these trends are subject to continuous evolution.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Semir Haddad, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at
MicroEJ
Semir serves as Chief
Product and Strategy Officer for MicroEJ and is responsible for the product,
partner, and growth strategies.
Semir has over 20
years of experience with industry leaders and startups, bringing complex B2B
technology products to the industrial and consumer markets and building
high-performing teams that scale the business. He knows how to create a product
category from the ground up and grow it to hundreds of millions of annual
revenues, multiplying the outreach and market presence.