Utkarshkumar Shah

From Hard-Coded to Cloud-Driven: Scalable OTA Firmware Orchestration for Software-Defined Vehicles

Abstract:

Modern vehicles contain dozens to over a hundred electronic control units (ECUs), and every one of them needs to be updated securely, reliably, and at scale. Yet most OTA firmware systems still rely on hard-coded, device-specific implementations that demand weeks of engineering effort to onboard a single new ECU variant, compounded by recurring regression faults with every new addition. As vehicle fleets grow and software complexity scales, this approach is no longer sustainable. 
This talk presents a configuration-driven OTA orchestration framework that replaces brittle, ECU-specific, hardcoded OTA update sequences with YAML-defined firmware update sequence schemas managed through cloud portals. By decoupling update policy from hardware specifics, the system enables fleet operators to onboard new ECU variants through configuration authoring alone, with no firmware modification required. The framework integrates a DOIP (UDS over Ethernet) for diagnostic session management, an RTOS for deterministic task scheduling under resource-constrained environments, and a defence-in-depth security model spanning TLS 1.3 transport, asymmetric campaign signing, and bootloader-level rollback guarantees. 
Evaluated across hundreds of simulated update campaigns spanning a heterogeneous test fleet, the framework delivered significantly higher campaign completion rates, drastically reduced onboarding time, and zero regression faults across all existing ECU types. The pluggable seed-key algorithm architecture achieved full security access reliability across thousands of test transactions, with cloud-initiated ECU authentication completing well within protocol thresholds. 
Attendees will leave with a concrete architectural blueprint for scalable, maintainable OTA infrastructure built for next-generation software-defined vehicles.

Profile:

 

 

 

 

Utkarshkumar Sanjaybhai Shah is an Embedded Systems and Firmware Engineer with over a decade of experience building mission-critical solutions across semiconductor manufacturing, automotive OTA infrastructure, industrial automation, and secure distributed communication systems. 

Currently a Software Engineer IV at Lam Research Corporation, Utkarsh leads firmware development for high-precision RF impedance matching systems built on the Xilinx Zynq-7000+ SoC, translating complex RF requirements into production-ready embedded control solutions. His work spans closed-loop control algorithms, EtherCAT-based actuation systems, and smart PCBA platforms that directly improve reliability in semiconductor processing equipment. 

Before Lam, Utkarsh served as Firmware Engineer and Firmware Lead at Sibros Technologies, where he architected scalable OTA update frameworks and UDS-based diagnostic stacks deployed across distributed vehicle ECU networks. He brings extensive experience working with various real-time operating systems (RTOS) and embedded platforms, enabling him to design deterministic, memory-optimized firmware for resource-constrained environments. This expertise has been consistently applied across roles at Xylem Water Solutions, Aricent Technologies, and Schenck Rotec. 

Utkarsh holds a Master of Technology in Control and Automation from Nirma University and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication from Saurashtra University. He is a published researcher, Agile Scrum-certified, and a recipient of multiple industry awards recognizing innovation and technical excellence. 

With hands-on command of protocols including CAN, EtherCAT, UDS, MQTT, and G.hn PLC, Utkarsh brings both the depth of a systems thinker and the precision of a production engineer to every project he leads.