In an unique interview with ELE Instances, Mr. Ram Kumar Krish, Chief Expertise Officer, at Knot Consulting, shared how the corporate is reshaping the way forward for automotive engineering by means of cutting-edge applied sciences and compliance-first innovation. From leveraging cloud-native architectures and DevSecOps to embedding Generative AI and navigating the complexities of V2X ecosystems, Knot Consulting is driving a wiser, safer, and extra agile transformation throughout the mobility panorama. The dialog additionally delved into digital twins, AR/VR for compliance coaching, and the evolving function of cybersecurity in software-defined automobiles. Excerpts:
ELE TIMES: How is Knot Consulting leveraging cloud-native architectures to drive scalability and agility?
Ram Kumar Krish: At Knot Consulting, we realized early that compliance shouldn’t gradual innovation it ought to speed up it. However conventional, inflexible infrastructures simply don’t minimize it whenever you’re making an attempt to assist engineering groups transfer quick whereas staying compliant with ASPICE, Useful Security, and Cybersecurity requirements.
That’s the place cloud-native structure is available in.
We’ve constructed our inside platforms and client-facing instruments (like Ok-Sensible) utilizing cloud-native ideas—assume microservices, containerization, and DevSecOps pipelines. This helps us and our purchasers in three highly effective methods:
- Prompt Scalability:
When a buyer desires to onboard 50+ suppliers for ASPICE assessments in every week, we don’t blink. Our backend scales up mechanically, due to Kubernetes and autoscaling teams. Whether or not it’s one mission or a portfolio evaluate, efficiency stays clean. - Agility for Engineering Compliance:
Requirements like ISO 26262 or ASPICE evolve. So do buyer wants. As a result of our programs are modular, we are able to roll out new compliance rulesets or up to date course of templates with out breaking the move—or your finances. - World Accessibility & Collaboration:
Distant groups? No downside. Our cloud-first setup means groups throughout completely different time zones can collaborate in actual time on course of assessments, hole resolutions, and even audit prep—securely and with none set up complications.
Backside line:
We use cloud-native not only for tech efficiency, however to assist actual engineers construct safer, smarter programs with out drowning in compliance paperwork. It’s about making compliance adaptive, not reactive.
ELE TIMES: How does Knot Consulting guarantee sturdy cybersecurity frameworks are embedded inside your digital options?
Ram Kumar Krish: Let’s be sincere—most groups don’t get up enthusiastic about risk modeling or safety audits. However in at this time’s linked automobile world, cybersecurity isn’t non-obligatory—it’s survival.
At Knot Consulting, we make it possible for safety isn’t an afterthought—it’s baked in from Day 0.
Right here’s how we do it:
- Safe-by-Design Basis
Each digital answer we construct—whether or not it’s our Ok-Sensible evaluation platform or client-specific instruments—follows Safe Growth Lifecycle (SDLC) We embed risk evaluation, safe coding practices, and vulnerability checks proper into our DevOps pipelines. - Requirements-First, Not Vendor-First
Our frameworks align with ISO/SAE 21434, UNECE R155, and TISAX—not simply greatest practices, however regulatory must-haves. This ensures our options are all the time prepared for scrutiny, whether or not it’s a third-party audit or a buyer request. - Cybersecurity Danger Considering Constructed In
We work with system and software program groups to shift cybersecurity left—serving to them outline safety objectives, determine assault surfaces, and hint safety controls throughout the V-model. Our consultants don’t simply hand over stories—they co-create safe architectures. - Steady Monitoring & Updates
The risk panorama evolves quick. That’s why we assist purchasers implement steady compliance monitoring, not simply one-time checklists. Our digital options embrace triggers for re-evaluating danger when there’s a change—whether or not in software program, suppliers, or automobile performance.
What this implies:
You don’t simply get a compliance checkbox. You get a digital spine the place security and safety transfer in lockstep—and your engineering groups can deal with constructing innovation, not reacting to cyber incidents.
ELE TIMES: How is Knot Consulting integrating generative AI or giant language fashions into enterprise use instances?
Ram Kumar Krish: At Knot Consulting, we wish to say: “Why look forward to an audit to let you know one thing’s flawed—when AI can let you know in actual time?”
That mindset is driving our integration of Generative AI and Giant Language Fashions (LLMs) into the guts of compliance and engineering operations. We’re not simply experimenting—we’re embedding AI into actual, high-value enterprise use instances.
Right here’s how:
- Clever Doc Parsing & Hole Evaluation
Ever tried evaluating a 100-page provider course of doc to ASPICE or ISO 26262 necessities? Painful.
Our AI assistants can ingest technical paperwork and immediately flag misalignments, lacking traceability, or compliance dangers. What used to take days now takes minutes—with full traceability for auditors. - Pure Language Interfaces for Course of Teaching
We’ve built-in LLM-powered chat interfaces into our compliance instruments (like Ok-Sensible). Engineers can now ask:
“What does SYS.3 anticipate when it comes to check traceability?”
And get context-aware solutions grounded within the ASPICE mannequin—no jargon, no guessing.
- Predictive Compliance and Danger Insights
Our inside AI engine can study from previous initiatives and assessments to foretell the place groups are most certainly to fail upcoming audits. We don’t simply offer you a course of guidelines—we aid you focus the place the actual danger lies. - Area-Tuned Fashions, Not Simply Generic GPT
We don’t plug uncooked GPT into delicate enterprise programs. We construct safe, domain-specific AI pipelines, tuned to automotive requirements and operating on protected infrastructure. So that you get the magic of LLMs, with out the compliance nightmares.
Why it issues:
Generative AI at Knot isn’t about flashy tech—it’s about releasing up engineers, lowering rework, and giving leaders real-time readability into compliance readiness. It’s smarter compliance, made sensible.
ELE TIMES: Which rising applied sciences are you at the moment experimenting with or recommending like blockchain, AR/VR, or digital twins?
Ram Kumar Krish: At Knot Consulting, we’re massive believers in “innovation with intent.” For us, rising applied sciences aren’t simply buzzwords—we discover them after they resolve actual ache factors for engineering groups coping with advanced compliance frameworks.
Right here’s what we’re actively exploring and recommending:
- Digital Twins for Course of Simulation & Traceability
Think about with the ability to simulate your ASPICE compliance lifecycle—earlier than your mission even begins. That’s the ability of digital twins.
We’re working with purchasers to construct “Course of Twins”—digital replicas of their engineering workflows—to mannequin dependencies, predict course of gaps, and optimize traceability earlier than any code is written. It’s particularly helpful in Security-critical programs the place early design selections have an enormous affect.
- AR/VR for Immersive Compliance Coaching
Let’s face it—most course of coaching remains to be caught in PowerPoint land. We’re experimenting with AR/VR-based onboarding, the place engineers can stroll by means of a digital V-model or work together with a simulated ECU lifecycle—studying Useful Security or Cybersecurity ideas by means of expertise, not simply principle.
That is particularly efficient in world groups the place constant understanding is essential.
- Bonus: AI-Enabled Digital Coaches (Already in Pilot)
Whereas not “rising” anymore, we’re doubling down on domain-tuned AI brokers that act as interactive coaches for engineers throughout mission execution. (Suppose: “What goes into SYS.4 verification?” → Actual-time, contextual steering.)
ELE TIMES: How do you guarantee safety is embedded into the software program growth lifecycle (DevSecOps)?
Ram Kumar Krish: At Knot Consulting, we frequently hear this from groups:
“We’re making an attempt to maneuver quick, however each safety evaluate appears like a roadblock.”
That’s precisely the mindset DevSecOps helps repair—and we’re all in.
Our method to embedding safety into the Software program Growth Lifecycle (SDLC) is straightforward: make it invisible however efficient. Safety shouldn’t gradual you down—it ought to transfer together with your code, from idea to deployment.
Right here’s how we make that actual for our purchasers:
- Menace Modeling from Day 0
We embed TARA (Menace Evaluation and Danger Evaluation) classes proper from system structure and requirement phases.
Safety objectives are aligned with ISO 21434 and SAE J3061 earlier than the primary line of code is written—so groups don’t should backtrack later.
- Safe Coding and Static Evaluation Early
We assist arrange static code evaluation instruments (like Fortify, SonarQube, or CodeQL) straight into CI/CD pipelines. Each pull request will get checked towards safety guidelines—so vulnerabilities are caught earlier than they attain testing.
- Automated Safety in CI/CD Pipelines
From open-source dependency scanning to container hardening, our DevSecOps pipelines embrace:
- SAST (Static Utility Safety Testing)
- DAST (Dynamic Evaluation)
- SCA (Software program Composition Evaluation)
These checks are automated, so your devs don’t have to recollect each rule—the pipeline enforces it.
- Safe Construct & Deployment
We implement signed builds, entry management insurance policies, and safe artifact repositories—so no unauthorized code makes it into manufacturing. That is essential for automotive OTA (over-the-air) updates and ECU firmware safety.
- Safety Consciousness Constructed into Dev Tradition
We run developer workshops and reside assault simulations—not boring coverage slideshows. The aim: assist groups assume like attackers so that they construct like defenders.
ELE TIMES: How is Knot Consulting getting ready to deal with purposeful security challenges in extremely linked ecosystems, reminiscent of V2X environments?
Ram Kumar Krish: Let’s face it—V2X (Automobile-to-The whole lot) ecosystems are rewriting the foundations of automotive engineering. Out of the blue, your automobile isn’t simply secure by itself—it’s secure solely when all the pieces round it behaves as anticipated too.
At Knot Consulting, we’re serving to purchasers shift from a “siloed security mindset” to a “network-aware security mannequin.” As a result of in V2X, your system boundaries are fuzzy—however the dangers are very actual.
Right here’s how we’re tackling this:
- Redefining the Merchandise Definition for V2X Situations
In conventional security engineering, defining the “merchandise” is easy. However in V2X, what occurs when your system conduct is determined by messages from infrastructure or close by automobiles?
We work with purchasers to increase their merchandise definitions and operational eventualities to incorporate dynamic actors—whether or not it’s a site visitors sign, a pedestrian app, or one other automobile.
This units the inspiration for a sound HARA (Hazard Evaluation and Danger Evaluation) in linked contexts.
- Cross-Area Security-Cybersecurity Co-Engineering
A hacked message could cause a safety-critical response. That’s why we embed ISO 26262 and ISO 21434 collectively in our consulting method.
We assist engineering groups co-design security objectives and safety objectives—particularly for:
- V2V communication protocols (e.g., misbehavior detection)
- OTA updates affecting V2X stacks
- Cooperative driving capabilities (e.g., platooning, intersection coordination)
- State of affairs-Based mostly Testing & Security Assurance for V2X
Conventional check benches don’t minimize it in V2X. We assist purchasers undertake scenario-based simulations utilizing instruments like CARLA, OpenSCENARIO, and co-simulation with Security Screens.
Why? As a result of you’ll be able to’t check for each automobile—it’s about testing conduct throughout 1000’s of edge instances, together with degraded comms, latency, and out-of-sequence messages.
- Security Contracts Throughout Communication Boundaries
We’re guiding Tier 1s and OEMs to outline “security contracts” throughout interfaces—the place security depends on well timed, correct, and trusted information from different programs (like RSUs, cloud providers, or different ECUs).
This contains:
- Monitoring freshness and plausibility of V2X information
- Defining fallback modes when connectivity is misplaced
- Making certain system-level fault tolerance when exterior data is flawed
