Validation & Testing of OTA and Telematics Systems Across a Multi-Vehicle Connected Platform

About the Customer

The customer is a leading Indian OEM working across 2-wheelers, 4-wheelers, cargo, electric and IC engines vehicles. Their ecosystem spans multiple electronic control units including a Vehicle Control Unit (VCU), Motor Control Unit (MCU), and Telematics Control Unit (TCU), alongside Bluetooth-enabled modules and vehicle clusters, designed to support OTA updates and connected mobility features.

Business Challenge

The customer needed dedicated validation support for OTA update workflows and telematics features across multiple vehicle variants. Because each variant had a distinct feature set, validation had to be planned and executed separately for each one.

The OTA update workflow spanned several layers, from the OTA dashboard to vehicle-side installation, making end-to-end validation complex. New features were being actively developed on the ECU side in parallel, requiring Embitel to support verification and validation activities as features rolled out. This also meant ongoing coordination between the validation team, the development team, and external hardware vendors.

Embitel's Solution

Embitel provided validation and testing support across the connected vehicle telematics stack spanning three areas:

1. OTA Workflow Validation – Validated the complete OTA update workflow across both standard and differential OTA scenarios. The standard flow covered dashboard-initiated update triggers, cloud delivery to the vehicle, notification popup behaviour on the vehicle cluster, and the user-initiated installation sequence. For differential OTA, validation covered the delivery and installation of delta packages, where only the changed files are sent rather than a full firmware bundle.

   The OTA dashboard supported file uploads to initiate update campaigns. Validation covered the release note flow on the vehicle cluster, which presents the user with the option to accept or defer the update. OTA preconditions required the vehicle to be stationary (speed = zero) and not in a charging state before an update could proceed. Baseline update validation covered the store-and-restore of vehicle features in memory across update cycles.

2. Connected ECU Validation – Embitel validated communication and feature behaviour across the VCU, MCU, TCU, and Bluetooth module. Telematics feature validation included a keyless entry variant using a key fob over Bluetooth, enabling vehicle to unlock without a physical key. Embitel also validated an immobilizer feature, which allows the vehicle to be remotely disabled via a mobile app when stationary, supporting anti-theft scenarios through OTA-triggered BMS Suspension system behaviour was also part of the connected feature validation scope. Validation and testing of ECU happened as an ongoing process as new ECU features were developed and rolled out.
3. Bluetooth Vendor Coordination – During validation, Embitel identified communication issues between the vehicle and a third-party Bluetooth hardware module. We coordinated with both the customer and the Bluetooth vendor to reproduce, analyse, and resolve the issue, bridging the gap between validation findings and the vendor’s hardware team.
4. Cross-Team & Cross-Geography Coordination – Beyond vendor coordination, Embitel supported OTA validation activities in collaboration with teams based in Italy and the UK, ensuring consistent validation outcomes across geographies.

Embitel's Impact

Embitel’s involvement has supported validation continuity across different vehicle types –