Developing and integrating complex toolchains in automotive companies is a challenging task. A number of those challenges is directly addressed by the principles behind the "Agile Manifesto". So it is worth while to see what "Agile" has to offer for these, independent of a specific framework (SCRUM, Kanban, ...)
Tool departments and ECU development projects often have a special kind of relationship. Often, the ECU projects feel that the tooling they are being provided with do not fulfill their requirements with respect to functionality, availability or support. They are often in very different organizational units.
Principles behind the Agile Manifesto!
Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
So if agile lives up to its promises (and is correctly implemented!), then this should address these issues.
For any project that is not short-term, your environment (and thus your requirements) is sure to change. Especially tooling for new technologies (like AUTOSAR Ethernet, Autonomous Driving, etc.) involve a lot of feedback loops based on experience in the project. And opportunity for change is abundant in addition to that:
Principles behind the Agile Manifesto!
Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.
In some settings, a tool or tool chain is being discussed with the customer, then implemented independently by a team and provided to the customer upon completion, only to find the customer frustrated by what he has been delivered. This might lead to finger-pointing and dissatisfaction. A good way to get customer commitment is by integrating them into the development and be able to get early feedback and improvement suggestions. Because then it is "our" tool, not "their" tool. And everybody likes "our" tool more than "their" tool.
Principles behind the Agile Manifesto!
Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
Agile methodologies and frameworks address some of the typical challenges of tool departments. However, "Agile" is no panacea and it doing it right is not necessarily an easy task. It forces change and it needs management support – otherwise you might just spin the buzzwords. But for many projects it is well worth the journey.