Vinnova has granted Software Center the project Visions for world-leading research and innovation in strategic technology areas, which will develop a national vision for a Swedish Excellence Cluster in autonomous and self-evolving software systems. Conducted together with the competence centers CoDig and NextG2Com, the initiative aims to strengthen Sweden’s position as a global leader in software-intensive innovation.
The project is part of a new large-scale program with the goal to establish up to five Swedish world-leading clusters of excellence by 2035. The focus is on key technology areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, advanced digital technology, and quantum technology. Software Center’s contribution, called AutoEvolve, will explore how Sweden can take the lead in developing autonomous systems that can design, code, test, and evolve themselves. In other words, to “build the system that builds the system.”
Behind Software Center’s initiative lies a bold vision for the future. In 2035, autonomous and self-evolving software systems will be a necessity rather than a luxury. They will allow industries such as transport, telecom, manufacturing, defense, energy, and healthcare to continuously adapt to new regulations, technologies, and customer needs. Instead of static software, these systems will be able to learn from their own performance, evolve in real time, and ensure safety and compliance on their own.
”We are moving to a fabulous AI-driven future for software-intensive systems that are evolving autonomously based on feedback from their context. Rather than building these systems, engineers will be concerned with building the “machine that builds these machines”, says Jan Bosch, director of Software Center.
Broad collaboration across academia and industry
Over the coming months, researchers from Chalmers, University of Gothenburg, Lund University, Linköping University, Malmö University and Mälardalen University will join forces with industry leaders engaged in Software Center and the competence centers CoDig and NextG2Com. The goal is to develop a shared vision and roadmap for how a Swedish Excellence Cluster in autonomous software systems could take shape.
“The Clusters of excellence is a unique collaboration between Vinnova and the Swedish Science council. The AutoEvolve partnership, led by Software Center, is committed to contributing to the shaping of these clusters, with a clear focus on industrial competitiveness, now and in the future”, says Jan Bosch.
Through the integration of AI, autonomy and advanced digital technology, the initiative aims to strengthen Sweden’s capacity for innovation. The long-term goal is to make self-evolving software systems a natural part of how Swedish industry develops and maintains its global edge.