The DELIA project, funded through the KMU‑innovativ IKT programme, set out to develop a modular, distributed communication and control architecture for future mobility concepts. The core technical goal was to create a demonstrator that could integrate a wide range of sensors, actuators and infotainment devices while meeting the stringent bandwidth, latency and determinism requirements of autonomous driving and urban air mobility. To this end the team focused on open industrial standards, real‑time networking, and flexible hardware platforms.

A key technical achievement was the implementation of a Time‑Sensitive Networking (TSN) stack on the DELIA modules. The demonstrator was able to interconnect sensors and actuators using Ethernet links that support 2.5 Gbit/s, 5 Gbit/s and 10 Gbit/s data rates, in line with the IEEE 802.3ch Multi‑Gig Automotive Ethernet PHY Task Force. The project evaluated several communication protocols, including OPC UA PubSub and Zenoh 2, and demonstrated that both could deliver the required deterministic behaviour when combined with TSN. The use of the XEN hypervisor on the DELIA modules, enabled by a custom SD‑card image script supplied by partner Solectrix, provided a unified, up‑to‑date software environment across all hardware units. This virtualization layer allowed rapid deployment of new firmware and facilitated the integration of future protocols without hardware changes.

The software platform was extended to support a real‑time capable fibre‑optic network and programmable FPGAs. The FPGA layer was used to offload time‑critical processing tasks, reducing CPU load and ensuring that latency constraints were met even under high data traffic. The demonstrator’s software architecture was modular, with clear separation between the network stack, device drivers and application logic, allowing easy addition of new use‑cases. Data transfer over the network was benchmarked, showing that the system could sustain continuous streams of sensor data at rates exceeding 10 Gbit/s while maintaining sub‑millisecond end‑to‑end latency for critical control loops.

In addition to networking, the project addressed thermal management for the distributed modules. A natural airflow cooling concept was designed for aircraft cabins, where heat generated by the DELIA modules is dissipated through passive air circulation. The cooling model, developed in the early phase of the project (September 2019 to June 2020), demonstrated that the modules could operate within safe temperature limits without active cooling, thereby reducing weight and power consumption.

Collaboration among the partners was structured around clear roles. ZAL GmbH led the overall concept development, the design of the demonstrator, and the evaluation of communication protocols. Solectrix contributed the SD‑card image tooling and assisted with the integration of the XEN hypervisor. Other partners supplied hardware components, conducted use‑case studies, and provided expertise in automotive and aerospace networking. The project ran over a period of roughly three years, with the cooling concept phase concluding in mid‑2020 and the demonstrator construction and testing extending into 2021. The KMU‑innovativ IKT programme provided the financial support, enabling the procurement of hardware, the development of software, and the coordination of the multi‑disciplinary team. The results of the DELIA project demonstrate a viable path toward high‑bandwidth, deterministic, and thermally efficient communication architectures for next‑generation mobility platforms.