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“Embedded Software” is a hot new IT category in Vietnam.
Recently Timo Krokowski, General Director of HELLA Vietnam, shared with me his top 5 reasons why Vietnamese developers should learn embedded software.
A German company, HELLA is a world leader in embedded software for the automotive industry.
What is embedded software?
Embedded software is software written for a specific purpose on a specific piece of hardware. Unlike software written for the web or mobile, embedded software interacts in real time with the real world environment. It receives sensory inputs and adjusts its output depending on those inputs.
Can you give an example of embedded software?
Sure. Your washing machine is controlled by embedded software. It measures your laundry and selects the right cycle to clean your clothes. Embedded software is around us every day although we rarely notice it. It controls microwaves, robot vacuum cleaners, trains, airplanes and cars. It’s in pretty much every machine that has a microchip and sensors and does things in the real world.
What kind of embedded software does HELLA do?
HELLA specializes in the automotive industry. Our embedded software controls functions in cars. Keyless entry and keyless start, lights, locking, power management, radar systems – all these things are controlled by software we make.
Did you know that a modern car has over 100 million lines of code? Compare that to Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner, which has only 6.5 million lines of code. Cars are even more sophisticated than airplanes in some ways! HELLA is a big part of that.
View this video to see embedded software in action
What are your 5 reasons why talented developers in Vietnam should consider a career in embedded software?
Great question. Here they are:
- It’s growing super fast. The number and variety of devices that require embedded software to run is just exploding. Cars are a big source of growth – nearly everything in a car is run by software. Other areas include medical devices, home appliances, robots cars. Everything is getting “smart.” Big growth means big opportunity for your career.
- It’s cool. Embedded software is unlocking opportunities and value that we never imagined before. Who would have thought 20 years ago that washing machines and coffee makers would develop software brains so they can work better for us? It’s really cool. Google’s new self-driving cars run on embedded software.
- It’s real world, not a computer screen. Web and mobile apps are cool, sure. But mostly they just display or process information. They rarely interact with the real world. Embedded software makes things happen in the real world and in real time.
- You can show your mother. If your mother is like mine she doesn’t really understand most software apps. If you work in embedded software you can point to a car and say, “Hey mom, I made software that controls the lights in that car to make it safer to drive at night.” She’ll understand that.
- There aren’t enough embedded developers in Vietnam. Embedded software is growing fast in the world and in Vietnam. But there’s a shortage of developers. If you have a skill in embedded software you’ll be able to choose from lots of job opportunities and rapidly advance your career.
What do I need to know to become and embedded software developer?
You need an understanding of how engineering and environment meet and interact with software. You need to have the spirit of a hardware engineer with the skills of a software developer. Many embedded software developers have a degree in electrical engineering.
Do I have to have an electrical engineering degree?
It’s helpful, but not required to have studied electrical engineering.
What is required is an understanding of how a microcontroller works. Knowledge of C and assembly language are best, but knowledge of any programming language is helpful.
What do you look for in an embedded software candidate?
We like people who have programming experience and some knowledge of electrical engineering. That doesn’t mean you have to have a degree in electrical engineering, but you do have to understand the basic elements of electrical engineering.
Recently we hired a fresher who did not have an electrical engineering degree. But he loved to build his own devices and write programs for them. One device was a cube with LED lights on it. It was a game – as you turned the cube a LED snake would run across the surface of the cube. It was a great example of embedded software – software written for specific hardware that took sensory inputs and reacted to the environment in real time. People who love to make things like this are great embedded software developers.
Why should I consider joining HELLA?
HELLA is a world leader in embedded software in the automotive industry. Our customers include the world’s top car companies – Audi, Mercedes Benz, VolksWagen and General Motors.
Our team in Vietnam is developing car software from A to Z. Your work will be in millions of cars driven around the world. You will get outstanding German-style training and chances to get training overseas.
Thanks Timo.
Thanks Chris.
HELLA is hiring! View their jobs here.