Reimagining Automotive OS: Safe Mixed-Criticality Systems Inspired by Avionics

Reimagining Automotive OS: Safe Mixed-Criticality Systems Inspired by Avionics

Table of Contents

Breaking New Ground in Automotive Operating Systems

Our ZIM-funded research collaboration with Hochschule RheinMain enters its next phase: developing a next-generation automotive OS that brings aviation-grade safety to resource-constrained vehicle systems. By reimagining proven concepts from avionics standards like IMA (Integrated Modular Avionics) and ARINC 653, we’re creating a blueprint for ISO 26262-compliant mixed-criticality environments.

Core Objectives: Safety Meets Efficiency

  1. Resource-Aware Virtualization
    Implement ARINC-style partitioning to isolate safety-critical (ASIL-D) and non-critical software on shared hardware.
  2. Mixed-Criticality Consolidation
    Enable AUTOSAR Runnables to coexist securely with non-AUTOSAR modules (e.g., AI drivers, OTA updaters).
  3. ISO 26262 Compliance
    Develop certification-ready OS foundations that meet automotive safety norms without aviation-level overhead.

Technical Approach: From Avionics to ECUs

Aviation Concepts Under Evaluation

  • IMA Partitioning: Hardware-independent isolation of software functions
  • ARINC 653 Scheduling: Time/space separation for deterministic execution
  • DO-178C Validation Methods: Adapted for automotive resource constraints

Automotive-Specific Challenges

  • Resource Limitations: Achieve ARINC-grade isolation on sub-100MHz MCUs with <1MB RAM
  • AUTOSAR Integration: Map AUTOSAR BSW/RTE layers to partitioned environments
  • Legacy Compatibility: Support existing ECUs while enabling new mixed-criticality use cases

Why This Matters for OEMs

  • Cost Reduction: Consolidate ECUs without compromising safety
  • Certification Acceleration: Reusable safety evidence across platforms

“The holy grail is achieving avionics-level assurance with automotive economics – this project makes that feasible.”
– Jochen Decker, easycore GmbH

Collaboration with easycore

Our AUTOSAR expertise ensures seamless integration of the new OS with:

  • Virtualized ECUs: Run multiple AUTOSAR ECU applications on shared hardware
  • Secure OTA Updates: Leverage partitioning for fail-safe firmware upgrades

Explore the Future of Automotive OS:

easycore – Where Aviation Precision Meets Automotive Innovation.

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