As the automotive industry transitions toward Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), vehicle intelligence is extending beyond infotainment and autonomous driving into core vehicle functions. One of the most significant areas undergoing this transformation is thermal management, where software is increasingly replacing conventional hardware-centric control strategies to optimize energy consumption, improve vehicle efficiency, and extend electric driving range. Recognizing this shift, Hanon Systems has developed a software-defined thermal management platform that combines intelligent controllers with modular software to centrally manage a vehicle's complete thermal ecosystem.
Unlike traditional thermal systems, where components such as compressors, pumps, valves, and cooling fans are controlled independently through dedicated electronic control units (ECUs), Hanon Systems' approach introduces a centralized Thermal Management Driver (TMD). This controller integrates both hardware and software to coordinate heat pumps, refrigerant circuits, coolant flow, and other thermal subsystems from a single control platform. By replacing distributed control with a unified architecture, the system reduces electronic complexity, lowers system costs, and enables real-time optimization of thermal performance across the entire vehicle.
At the heart of the platform is Hanon Systems' Modular Software Library, a collection of proprietary software applications developed to control virtually every major thermal component in an electrified vehicle. The software supports the company's electric compressors (eCompressors), electronic refrigerant valves, electronic coolant valves, electronic water pumps, HVAC blower motors, electronic cooling fans, and thermal sensors. Depending on the vehicle architecture, these applications can operate individual components independently, manage integrated thermal modules, or function under centralized control through the Thermal Management Driver. This modular design allows automakers to implement only the functions required for a specific vehicle while maintaining a common software foundation across multiple platforms.
A key technological advantage of the platform is its platform engineering approach, which enables reusable software building blocks to be rapidly configured for different vehicle programs. Instead of developing entirely new control software for every vehicle model, manufacturers can adapt validated software modules to suit various battery sizes, powertrain configurations, and cooling architectures. This significantly reduces software development time, shortens vehicle development cycles, and lowers engineering costs while maintaining consistent functionality across product families.
The software has also been designed for compatibility with both AUTOSAR and non-AUTOSAR software architectures, providing flexibility for automakers with different electronic and software ecosystems. Hanon Systems supports customers across all software layers, allowing OEMs to determine the level of software integration and customization that best fits their vehicle platforms. This scalable approach simplifies integration into both existing vehicle architectures and future software-defined platforms.
As thermal management becomes increasingly complex in electric vehicles, intelligent software control is playing a growing role in maximizing energy efficiency. Rather than controlling individual components independently, Hanon Systems' platform continuously coordinates the operation of compressors, coolant pumps, refrigerant valves, cooling fans, and heat pumps to optimize heat distribution throughout the vehicle. This enables more efficient battery temperature regulation, improved power electronics cooling, enhanced cabin climate control, and better utilization of available thermal energy, ultimately helping extend driving range and improve overall system reliability.
The company is also incorporating generative artificial intelligence (AI) into its software development workflow. Proprietary generative AI technologies are being developed to accelerate software creation, simplify product development, and further optimize thermal system performance. By combining AI-assisted software engineering with its modular software architecture, the company aims to deliver increasingly sophisticated thermal control strategies while reducing development time for future vehicle platforms.
The software-defined thermal management platform complements Hanon Systems' broader portfolio of electrified thermal technologies, including heat pump systems, eCompressors, refrigerant control modules, coolant control modules, electronic water pumps, electronic valves, HVAC systems, and front-end cooling modules. Together, these hardware and software technologies provide an integrated thermal ecosystem capable of managing battery, cabin, drivetrain, and power electronics temperatures through a coordinated control strategy rather than isolated component operation.
As electric vehicles continue evolving toward centralized computing architectures, software is becoming as important as hardware in determining vehicle efficiency and performance. By combining intelligent controllers, modular software, scalable software architectures, and AI-assisted development into a unified thermal management platform, Hanon Systems is positioning thermal management as a core software-defined function that can help automakers improve energy efficiency, simplify vehicle architectures, and accelerate the transition to next-generation electric and autonomous vehicles.
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About Hanon Systems
Hanon Systems is a global provider of automotive thermal management solutions and a subsidiary of the Hankook & Company Group. The company develops thermal technologies for battery electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. Its portfolio includes heat pump systems, HVAC modules, eCompressors, refrigerant and coolant control modules, electronic water pumps, cooling fans, and software-defined thermal management platforms.
