Koenigsegg

Built with Qt

From 0-400 Km/h in a flash. Qt Accelerates Koenigsegg's Supercar Development

Koenigsegg: Record-Breaking Supercars

In 2017, Koenigsegg's Agera supercar achieved five different world records for a production vehicle with regards to speed and acceleration. Flying down open roads at break-neck speeds, fortunately, is only one of the highlights of driving a Koenigsegg. The care and love of detail are apparent in those machines. Their inner Swede is also showing, particular in their level of attention to safety – and at top speeds of 447.19 km/h (277.87 mph), they'd better. Of course, with such a focus on craftsmanship and performance, the interior and the electronics better be up to scratch!

Today, Koenigsegg is also gunning to reach new heights of development speed for their high-performance software. And with Qt's complete toolkit and the help of Qt Professional Services, they reached the finish line in record time.

I see a strong value in a professionally maintained framework. I believe this will become apparent as our organization will grow and the whole team will benefit from a standardized application framework and expanding toolchain.

Mats Näslund, Embedded Project Manager, Koenigsegg

Next-Gen Cockpit Built with Qt

SmartWheel

The Koenigsegg Jesko has moved away from the traditional instrument cluster. The steering wheel instead hosts a similar functionality, but in a much more compact and racing-inspired packaging.

The SmartWheel's UI follows the steering wheel orientation in real-time and keeps its contents in alignment against the rotation when the steering wheel turns. The buttons feature touch displays and haptic feedback. The button displays can adapt their content and functionality according to the current context. The haptic feedback removes the need for the driver to look at the buttons while driving.

SmartCluster and SmartCenter

The SmartCluster is part of the in-vehicle infotainment system (IVI) and comprises the instrumentation and is displayed with a digital readout rather than with the traditional analog gauges. The SmartCenter is the Koenigsegg design and implementation of an automotive Head Unit. This is part of the IVI which provides a unified hardware interface for the entire system.

With the recent LTS release, we will benefit from new features which are very well aligned with current and future system usage and design. The same goes for the expanding toolchain that will aid us in our coming development activities. Over the years I am also pleasantly surprised by Qt's proactive approach to mutually define the roadmap ahead.

Mats Näslund, Embedded Project Manager

Qt Engaged for Break-Neck Development Speed

Koenigsegg started using Qt when they created the first prototype software for the Regera show car in 2015. The main reason for going with Qt was its out-of-the-box compatibility with the reference design boards Koenigsegg used in their prototype development.

What makes Koenigsegg a special case is that they're not only developing their own software but also the electronics the software is running on. This means that a substantial part of the development work is done for newly designed electronics systems.

This means that introducing new concepts and innovations along the way takes extra time and pressure meeting delivery deadlines. As expected from a supercar manufacturer such as Koenigsegg, speed (of development) is of the essence.

That's why Koenigsegg hired Qt Professional Services as their box team to accelerate their project. Qt Professional Services

improved the cluster boot time
co-built the architecture design of the cluster, IVI, and HUD
implemented features such as OTA updates and WiFi connectivity
quickly introduced new Koenigsegg employees to the framework
helped with version upgrades.

Besides the help of Qt's experts, Qt as a framework itself added a lot of momentum to Koenigsegg development efforts.

There is an apparent benefit in having a standardized framework in all aspects of software development; be it the introduction of new employees, maintenance or new feature implementation. We see the Qt application framework as an investment to future-proof our continued development.

Mats Näslund, Embedded Project Manager

Koenigsegg is a manufacturer of high-performance sports cars, based in Ängelholm, Skåne County, Sweden. Koenigsegg keeps on setting new records and employs around 70 full-time staff. Each and every car is created and meticulously assembled by a tight-knit group of automotive artisans to the highest possible standards.

Want to drive your business to success as fast as Koenigsegg? Take your foot off the breaks and get in touch!