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Platform engineering promised us efficiency, the automation of tedious tasks and self-service capabilities, yet recent research shows that 63% of embedded software is still written manually.
That's according to a new report from Forrester and the Qt group, which shows that even organizations with a mature platform engineering strategy, continue with a significant chunk of manual coding.
This finding highlights the enduring challenges embedded teams face, when it comes to balancing the demands of efficiency, productivity, quality, and compliance. Let's take a closer look.
Despite significant advances in AI, and many technology leaders hinting that coders' coding days could be numbered, the reasons for continued manual coding lies in the complexities and unique requirements of embedded systems.
As embedded software controls and operates specific hardware devices, it is constrained by the hardware's limitations, such as processing power, memory and input/output capabilities. This is unique to each piece of hardware.
And although embedded software is found in everyday appliances like smart refrigerators and app-controlled thermostats, it is also found in higher-stakes hardware in industrial and healthcare settings, where it must react to environmental changes within a set time frame.
Think of life-support equipment and anti-lock braking systems in cars, where a delay could literally mean life or death, for example.
Compliance in higher-risk industries that much embedded software is used in, such as healthcare, automotive and industrial, must meet stringent regulatory requirements and industry standards, and must also adhere to regional laws and standards too.
As all of these elements are highly-specific, meaning automating code and deployment could be quite risky. And although developers may use AI tools to automate testing or suggest optimization improvements, copy and pasting code generally just isn't possible.
Essentially, manual coding persists because solutions require unique safety and performance reasons.
There is an opportunity here, says Juhapekka Niemi, senior vice president, Product Management at Qt Group. "Platforms should be designed to support change, integrate with evolving technology, and work across a variety of hardware and software platforms."
"Leveraging a flexible, scalable, and quality-assured framework is key - as is using optimized cross-platform components that are easily deployable."
So it makes sense that in the same report states that 50% of embedded teams struggle to balance productivity with meeting strict quality/safety requirements.
Other major obstacles to embracing embedded development are product teams' cultural opposition (34%), and challenges integrating legacy platforms (49%).
"On the one hand, embedded engineers face the challenge of understanding the end-user experience for the technical machines they design," says Maurice Kalinowski, product director at Qt Group.
"On the other, more widely available web developers, who focus on usability, face steep learning curves in adapting to the embedded space and its intricacies like C/C++ plug-ins, cross platform development, etc. This makes the need for unifying standards stronger than ever."
As 49% deem safety, security, and compliance to be the top priorities when it comes to implementing an embedded strategy, and 43% emphasize the importance of customizable APIs for third-party integrations, solid partnerships are key to progressing.
But what form do these commonly take? Some 52% have prioritized integrations with existing tools, while a third (35%) opt for all-in-one, end-to-end capabilities.
"Different APIs have varying agreements and latency times, exposing systems to more security risks and privacy regulations, as developers need to ensure the third-party software handles sensitive data appropriately," says Miao Luo, director, Technology Strategy at Qt Group.
"The best way for platform teams to mitigate this is by closely monitoring technical debt and minimizing the number of third-party elements in play."
Additionally, talent shortages are cited as hindering 50% of embedded teams from scaling their platform engineering strategy, and here lies the opportunity for software developers looking to enter the embedded space.
Companies are offering competitive salaries, benefits, and career growth opportunities to attract candidates skilled in embedded software.
To pivot into this space, start by examining job specs in the field, and note the commonly cited skills required. Focus on developing these niche skills, obtain certifications, and gain hands-on experience with microcontrollers, real-time systems, and IoT devices. Then, start applying.
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