Collaboration to develop safety platform for autonomous vehicles

Using IP from both companies, the new platform will provide a framework for integrating advanced compute features found in connected and autonomous driving applications such as advanced sensing, Ethernet based communication and artificial intelligence applications.

The new platform will run on top of the VxWorks safety certified Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) and leverage advanced system partitioning via hypervisor technology. This partitioning allows automakers to take software that is essential to safety critical functions like vehicle controls, actuation and sensing and place it alongside less critical functions like infotainment and telemetry onto the same hardware architecture.

As a result, this also reduces the systems’ dependence on any particular set of hardware. The net outcome is a software system with mixed criticality functions that is both more flexible and cost effective for the automaker without jeopardising safety or security. 

“The demands of the autonomous car are driving up the complexity and cost of vehicle systems. Simultaneously, the issue of safety must always be kept the top priority,” said Marques McCammon, Vice President of Automotive at Wind River. “Together with Hyundai Autron, we’re providing the market with a safe and reliable software foundation which will help car makers accelerate their innovation and enjoy design flexibility.”

Hyundai Autron is a research and development company specialising in the field of electronic automotive control solutions, including the development of automotive semiconductors, control units, and software for automotive electric and electronic control. Hyundai Autron has grown their research and development to efficiently develop intelligent automotive platforms.

In particular, beginning in 2012, Hyundai Autron has worked with Hyundai, Kia Motors, Hyundai Mobis and other global leaders, to develop the Hyundai Motor Standard Software Platform based on the international AUTOSAR standard. They’ve since provided this platform to Hyundai and Kia, with continued plans to deliver future platforms, including those developed with Wind River.

“The rise of autonomous driving is creating a variety of new safety considerations for car makers,” said Chang Jae Ho, Senior Vice President of Automotive Fusion Control Group at Hyundai Autron.

"By aligning our research and development capabilities with Wind River’s experience in deploying safety domain software, we are able to deliver highly advanced, reliable and secure automobile control solutions to help our customers quickly and flexibly respond to changing market trends.”

VxWorks is a high performance, marketing-leading RTOS tuned for both determinism and responsiveness with a proven track record in safety- and security-certified environments, making it an ideal solution for quickly commercialising ADAS, autonomous and other safety-critical applications.

For less critical functions within an automobile’s mixed computing environment, Wind River also delivers Wind River Linux and other commercial-grade open source technologies, world-class technical support and maintenance to help customers stay up-to-date on the latest innovations.