2019 Trend Forecast: IoT, 5G Commercialization, Autonomous Driving, etc.
Providing megatrends related to automated testing and measurement
National Instruments (NI) unveiled 'NI Trend Watch 2019' on the 22nd.

'NI Trend Watch' is an annual technology trend report published by NI that presents today's engineering trends and the challenges to be addressed in the changed technology environment to automated test and automated measurement companies.

The five areas covered in NI Trend Watch 2019 are 5G, autonomous driving, standardization of development processes, IoT, and inter-industry convergence.

▲ 5G Ushering in a New Era of Wireless Testing: 5G wireless devices will become more complex. Engineers must re-examine the optimized technologies used previously and prepare for the practical commercialization of 5G products and solutions.

▲ Challenges for the commercialization of autonomous driving: The social impact of autonomous driving is expected to be significant. It is necessary to consider the costs, technology, and strategic shifts that may arise from the introduction of multi-sensors into ADAS, which has previously used single sensors.

▲ Necessity of Updating Standardized Development Processes: Even in rapidly modernizing test environments, engineers are still using outdated trends. Standardization of test architecture design and management processes must be pursued.

▲ IoT Application to Testing: With the application of IoT, devices are becoming more sophisticated and testing is becoming more complex. However, automated test workflows can be significantly improved.

▲ Innovation in Test Strategies Due to Various Industry Convergences: Inter-industry convergence accelerates the pace of innovation and enables the introduction of previously unimaginable products, while simultaneously complicating testing. Through inter-industry partnerships and learning, insights can be gained to solve complex problems in testing.

Shelly Gretlein, NI Global Marketing Vice President, said, “The engineering trends introduced at NI Trend Watch 2019 will appear to challenge existing industrial and product testing methods,” adding, “While this will create complex challenges, it will also drive radical innovation and require a fundamental change in the approach to automated testing and measurement.”