Hypervisor technology for cars in mass production

27th April 2016

Jordan Mulcare

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Flexible processors with high processing power have increasing importance as the hardware basis for in-car cockpit electronics and connectivity systems. Together with hypervisor platforms they offer vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers the suitable solution for in-vehicle systems. The COQOS Software Development Kit (COQOS SDK) from OpenSynergy is the core technology of the telematics unit of the German truck manufacturer MAN. The software platform is implemented on an ARM processor in an i.MX SoC from NXP.

COQOS SDK contains the modules necessary to quickly develop Telematics- or Infotainment systems, based on Linux, that fulfill the automotive-specific requirements. The Hypervisor in COQOS SDK creates software partitions and completely separates the integrated operating systems from each other.

The COQOS SDK in the MAN telematics unit includes OpenSynergy’s AUTOSAR environment COQOSAR. It handles the interfacing to the vehicle buses and hosts software components developed by the OEM. The communication between the server backend and the telematics and fleet management functions is implemented on a virtualised Linux partition, simplifying the development of this complex software.

The Automotive Communication Framework (ACF) in COQOS SDK enables information to be exchanged between both partitions safely and efficiently. This telematics unit has supported fleet management functions since 2014, including the monitoring of the working time, the management and optimisation of the deployment schedules and the collection of data in the vehicle.

In addition the system includes a system supervisor in its own partition, which monitors the correct functionality of the other partitions and handles the power management. Update capabilities makes it possible to update the COQOSAR modules and the Linux partition over CAN and USB.

“Heavy goods lorry platooning trials are being carried out in several countries and it hastens the need for software technologies that connect commercial vehicle fleets,” said Richard York, Vice President of embedded marketing, ARM. “OpenSynergy’s ISO 26262-compliant COQOS SDK is a significant step forward as it will enhance the safety of vehicle telematics services and fleet manageability. This kind of hypervisor technology will open up opportunities for operators as it can address critical haulage industry concerns such as driver health and fatigue levels as these have a significant influence on road safety.”