HyVar · Project

Automatic Over-the-Air Software Updates for Millions of Connected Devices

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Imagine you sell smart thermostats or car electronics, and each customer's device runs a slightly different software setup. Now you need to push an update to all of them — but each one needs a different patch. HyVar built a cloud-based system that keeps track of every device's exact configuration, figures out what each one needs, and sends customized updates over the air — automatically. Think of it like a tailor who remembers every customer's measurements and ships perfectly fitted clothes without anyone visiting the shop.

By the numbers

EUR 2,793,870

EU contribution for development

consortium partners

countries involved (DE, IT, NO)

total deliverables produced

demonstrator deliverables

50%

industry partner ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies selling connected devices — from cars to smart home products to industrial equipment — face an escalating headache: every device in the field runs a slightly different software configuration, and pushing updates to all of them without breaking anything is expensive and risky. Manual updates require costly on-site visits, while generic mass updates can crash devices that need a specific patch. The more devices you sell, the worse this problem gets.

The solution

What was built

The team built a cloud-based system with three main components: a variability modeling language and toolchain for describing all possible software configurations, a cloud infrastructure that tracks each device's exact setup and generates customized updates, and a secure over-the-air delivery mechanism for complex multi-component devices. They validated everything through two rounds of end-to-end demonstrators using automotive ECUs, plus a dedicated business evaluation.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers managing ECU software across vehicle fleetsIoT platform companies maintaining firmware on thousands of device variantsSmart home device manufacturers needing individualized over-the-air updatesIndustrial equipment makers with remotely deployed programmable controllersTelecom companies managing software on distributed network hardware

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive electronics

enterprise

Target: Tier-1 automotive suppliers or OEMs managing ECU software across vehicle fleets

If you are an automotive electronics supplier dealing with the nightmare of pushing software updates to thousands of ECUs across different vehicle models — this project developed a cloud infrastructure and variability engine that tracks each ECU's exact software configuration and delivers customized over-the-air updates. The demonstrator specifically tested with automotive ECUs, evaluating scalability and resilience across multiple nodes. With 42 deliverables produced over 3 years, the toolchain covers the full update lifecycle from configuration modeling to secure deployment.

Smart home and IoT

mid-size

Target: IoT platform providers managing firmware across diverse connected devices

If you are an IoT platform provider struggling to maintain firmware across hundreds of device variants in the field — this project built a scalable cloud system that monitors device behavior through sensor data and automatically generates the right software update for each device. The hybrid variability approach combines what the device reports with a model of all possible configurations, so updates are precise and non-intrusive. The consortium of 6 partners across 3 countries validated this with end-to-end demonstrators.

Industrial automation

any

Target: Industrial equipment manufacturers with remotely deployed programmable controllers

If you are an industrial equipment manufacturer dealing with costly on-site visits to update software on distributed machinery — this project created a secure over-the-air update system designed for complex devices running multiple interconnected software components. The system handles what they call 'system of systems' — machines where updating one part must not break another. The technical evaluation specifically measured scalability and resilience KPIs, meaning the solution was stress-tested for real deployment conditions.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt this technology?

The project received EUR 2,793,870 in EU funding across 6 partners over 3 years. Licensing or adoption costs are not published in the project data. You would need to contact the coordinator (Santer Reply SRL) to discuss commercial terms.

Can this handle thousands or millions of devices at industrial scale?

Yes, scalability was a core design goal. The cloud infrastructure was designed to 'elastically support monitoring and customization for numerous application instances.' The demonstrator specifically evaluated scalability KPIs with varying numbers of ECUs and complex multi-node update procedures.

Who owns the IP, and can I license it?

The project was coordinated by Santer Reply SRL (Italy), part of the Reply consulting group, with 3 industrial and 3 university partners. IP ownership typically follows Horizon 2020 rules where each partner owns what they created. Commercial licensing would need to be negotiated with the relevant consortium members.

How does this integrate with existing software development processes?

The project explicitly aimed to integrate with existing software development workflows. They built a Domain Specific Variability Language (DSVL) and toolchain designed to plug into current development processes rather than replace them. Based on available project data, the business evaluation report assessed practical adoption factors.

Is the technology proven or still experimental?

The consortium built and tested two rounds of demonstrators (v1.0 and v2.0), including an end-to-end demonstrator covering the full update cycle. A dedicated Technical and Business Evaluation Report assessed results from usability tests and commercial exploitation potential. This puts it past prototype stage into validated technology.

What happens if an update fails mid-deployment on a device?

The project specifically addressed robustness, reliability, and resilience of distributed application instances. Updates were designed to be 'seamless and sufficiently nonintrusive' to avoid compromising device operation. Based on available project data, resilience was a measured KPI in the demonstrator evaluations.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium of 6 partners is evenly split between industry (3) and academia (3) across Germany, Italy, and Norway — a compact but balanced team. The coordinator, Santer Reply SRL, is part of the Reply Group, a major European IT consulting firm with deep automotive and IoT expertise, which adds commercial credibility. With a 50% industry ratio and 1 SME in the mix, the project had strong commercial pull from the start. The EUR 2,793,870 budget over 3 years funded 42 deliverables including 7 demonstrator packages, suggesting efficient execution. For a business buyer, the Reply Group connection is the most relevant signal — it means the technology was developed with enterprise-grade deployment in mind.

SANTER REPLY SRLCoordinator · IT
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TORINOparticipant · IT
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET BRAUNSCHWEIGparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITETET I OSLOparticipant · NO
MARELLI EUROPE SPAparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

Santer Reply SRL (Italy) — part of the Reply Group, a major European IT consultancy. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See SANTER REPLY SRL profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how this over-the-air update technology could reduce your device management costs? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the HyVar team and prepare a tailored briefing for your use case.

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