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Platform engineering – lauded for its potential to revolutionize software development with automation, self-service, and streamlined workflows – appears to be falling short of expectations in the embedded software world.
A new study by Forrester Consulting, commissioned by Qt Group, reveals a stark disconnect between the perceived maturity of platform engineering strategies and their actual implementation.
The research – surveying 317 decision-makers and influencers – found that a surprising 63% of embedded software within organizations embracing platform engineering is still being created using bespoke, ad hoc solutions. This is despite 65% of respondents viewing their platform as the bedrock of their embedded software development, with ongoing efforts to bolster capabilities and expand automation and use case coverage.
This discrepancy underscores the delicate balance that embedded teams must maintain, balancing productivity with the imperative demands of quality and safety.
Driving towards superior quality is identified as the key motivation for embedded teams to adopt platform engineering.
Significant benefits linked with this approach are recognized:
Yet, a major obstacle is the need to reconcile the reuse of standardized, high-quality components with the customization required for diverse applications, hardware, and software strategies. This problem is pronounced, with almost half (49%) of embedded developers finding it challenging to achieve this balance.
The study highlights several challenges:
Despite these challenges, the research shows a positive note with 93% of participants acknowledging that their company leadership supports the current platform engineering strategies.
Juhapekka Niemi, SVP at Qt Group, commented: “We have identified a discrepancy between the perceived maturity of platform engineering strategies and the actual advantages they provide. There is still too much manual effort required to meet specific needs in industries like medtech, automotive, or industrial automation.”
He suggests a significant change: “Platforms should be built to accommodate change, integrate with new technologies, and function across various hardware and software environments. It is crucial to use a flexible, scalable, and quality-assured framework, along with optimised cross-platform components that can be deployed easily.”
Compounding the technical challenges is the ever-present skills gap. Half of the respondents (50%) identify talent shortages as the primary obstacle to more effective platform strategies. Other significant roadblocks include the integration of legacy platforms (49%) and cultural resistance from product teams (34%).
Maurice Kalinowski, Product Director at Qt Group, commented: “On the one hand, embedded engineers face the challenge of understanding the end-user experience for the technical machines they design.
“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.”
The study underscores the critical importance of tool selection for a successful platform engineering strategy. Respondents overwhelmingly favour tools offering extensive integration capabilities alongside robust security features.
More than half (52%) prioritise dedicated, best-of-breed tools that seamlessly integrate with existing technology stacks, while just over a third (35%) favour all-in-one, end-to-end solutions. This emphasis on integration is particularly relevant when incorporating specialised security tools within a development framework to ensure robust protection without compromising performance.
Reinforcing this, 49% of respondents consider safety, security, and compliance as paramount outcomes of their platform engineering strategies. Additionally, approximately 43% highlight the importance of customisable APIs for third-party integrations.
Miao Luo, Director of Technology Strategy at Qt Group, explains: “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.
“The best way for platform teams to mitigate this is by closely monitoring technical debt and minimising the number of third-party elements in play.”
See also: Android 15: Developer productivity and UX take centre stage
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