Master’s in Dev Platforms Engineering for SDVs — Vehicle-Centric APIs, App Stores, Sandboxing and Permissions
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in developer platform engineering for SDVs, structured in 12 modules covering vehicle-centric APIs, application frameworks, sandboxing and isolation, permissions and access control, platform security, driver distraction, app stores and distribution, data and privacy under ISO/SAE 21434, UN ECE R155 and UN ECE R156, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Dev Platforms Engineering for SDVs — Vehicle-Centric APIs, App Stores, Sandboxing and Permissions — studying from New Zealand
Autonomy and advanced driver assistance work in New Zealand is mostly applied rather than manufacturing-led, with significant interest in autonomous systems for agriculture, forestry, mining and port logistics. Research groups at the University of Auckland and the University of Canterbury contribute to robotics, perception and control, and firms in these regions develop software for driverless and remote-operated machinery. Engineers in this area often collaborate with government transport agencies on the regulatory frameworks that will govern automated vehicles on public roads.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$17,700 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Which New Zealand bodies oversee autonomous and ADAS vehicle work, and how is engineering registration handled?
Engineering registration in New Zealand is handled by Engineering New Zealand, which offers Chartered Professional Engineer status. Land transport rules, including those affecting vehicle technology, are administered by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. SEIUM is a private institute and its qualifications are not state degrees or accredited by a national body, so recognition is ultimately a matter for employers or the relevant body.
Who employs autonomous vehicle and ADAS engineers in New Zealand?
Demand comes mainly from vehicle importers and fleet operators exploring driver assistance, software suppliers, research organisations and firms developing mobility or automation systems. Employers typically look for software, sensing and systems skills backed by project evidence. A private online qualification may help show your learning, but it does not guarantee a role or any particular salary.
Is this programme workable online from New Zealand with a full-time job?
Yes. The programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from New Zealand without needing a student visa. You will have an assigned technical tutor and complete a final project. Specialist courses run 300 hours, diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours. Fees can be paid in instalments, and your employer may be willing to sponsor you.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Design vehicle-centric APIs with standard data models.
Develop applications on SDV frameworks.
Implement sandboxing and isolation mechanisms.
Define permission and consent models.
Secure the platform against malicious applications.
Design application distribution and its governance.
Develop a complete SDV developer platform project.
Who it's for
- Developer platform architects building ecosystems around the vehicle.
- Vehicle API engineers designing signal and service interfaces.
- Application security engineers reviewing and protecting third-party apps.
- Developer ecosystem managers responsible for portals, SDKs and communities.
- Connected services product managers shaping app stores and features on demand.
- Embedded software engineers moving into application platforms.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter the automotive sector.
What you'll work with
- ISO/SAE 21434 (road vehicle cybersecurity engineering)
- UN ECE R155 (cybersecurity management system)
- UN ECE R156 (software update management system)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 (Data Act)
- Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR)
- ISO 26262 (functional safety of road vehicles)
- ISO 15005 (dialogue management principles for in-vehicle systems)
- ISO 24089 (software update engineering)
- Eclipse Kuksa
- Eclipse Velocitas
- Android Automotive OS
- Docker
- Open Policy Agent
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1The automotive developer ecosystem1.2Third-party applications in the vehicle1.3App store models1.4Manufacturer and technology company platforms1.5Developer experience as a strategy1.6Monetisation of features and services1.7Success and failure stories1.8Security and type-approval requirements1.9Differences from the mobile ecosystem1.10Case study: analysis of a vehicle app store
2.1Design of vehicle signal APIs2.2The COVESA VSS specification2.3Data models and ontologies2.4Synchronous and event-driven APIs2.5gRPC and REST in the vehicle2.6API versioning and compatibility2.7Documentation with OpenAPI2.8Rate limits and quotas2.9API mocks and simulators2.10Lab: VSS API with Kuksa Databroker
3.1Eclipse Velocitas and templates3.2Android Automotive and its APIs3.3Android Car App Library3.4Container-based frameworks3.5UI and background applications3.6Application lifecycle3.7Dependency management3.8Internationalisation and accessibility3.9Testing of vehicle applications3.10Practical exercise: sample Velocitas application
4.1Application isolation models4.2Containers and namespaces4.3WebAssembly as an isolated environment4.4Virtual machines for third parties4.5Resource limiting with cgroups4.6Seccomp and system profiles4.7Network isolation4.8Sandbox escape attacks4.9Isolation assessment4.10Workshop: containerised application with limits
5.1Per-signal permission models5.2Role-based access control5.3User consent5.4OAuth 2.0 and access tokens5.5Declarative access policies5.6Permissions for critical functions5.7Access auditing5.8Permission revocation5.9Designing the consent experience5.10Lab: access policies with OPA
6.1Threat modelling of third parties6.2Application signing and verification6.3Static and dynamic analysis6.4App review in the store6.5Detection of malicious behaviour6.6Protection of vehicle APIs6.7ISO/SAE 21434 requirements6.8Vulnerability management6.9Incident response across the fleet6.10Practical exercise: TARA of a third-party application
7.1Freedom from interference with critical functions7.2Restrictions while driving7.3Driver distraction guidelines7.4NHTSA visual distraction guidelines7.5European HMI principles7.6Speed-based feature lockout7.7Interface validation7.8Type-approval requirements7.9Manufacturer liability7.10Case study: distraction assessment
8.1Architecture of a vehicle app store8.2Publishing and review process8.3OTA distribution of applications8.4Compatibility by model and variant8.5Licence management8.6Payments and subscriptions8.7Usage analytics8.8Support and updates8.9Application withdrawal8.10Workshop: application publishing flow
9.1Vehicle-generated data9.2The European Data Act9.3Personal data protection under the GDPR9.4Anonymisation and pseudonymisation9.5Consent management9.6Sharing data with third parties9.7Data for aftersales services9.8Data minimisation9.9Transparency towards the user9.10Practical exercise: privacy impact assessment
10.1Development kits and SDKs10.2Remote development environments10.3Vehicle simulators10.4Digital twins for testing10.5Continuous integration for applications10.6Remote debugging on the vehicle10.7Portal and documentation10.8Developer community10.9Developer experience metrics10.10Lab: environment with dev containers
11.1Revenue-sharing models11.2Features on demand11.3Developer relations11.4Terms of service11.5Ecosystem governance11.6Competition and regulation11.7Cross-brand interoperability11.8Platform strategy11.9Success indicators11.10Case study: an OEM's ecosystem strategy
12.1Definition of the target ecosystem12.2Design of vehicle-centric APIs12.3Design of the execution sandbox12.4Permission model12.5Store architecture12.6Security and privacy analysis12.7Application prototype12.8Conclusions and roadmap12.9Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so the programme can be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Eclipse Kuksa, Eclipse Velocitas, Android Automotive OS, Docker and Open Policy Agent, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures for prototyping applications on vehicle APIs, assessing application isolation and security review of applications. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: ISO/SAE 21434, UN ECE R155, UN ECE R156, Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 (Data Act), Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), ISO 26262, ISO 15005, ISO 24089.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Eclipse Kuksa, Eclipse Velocitas, Android Automotive OS, Docker and Open Policy Agent, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme's software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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