Thales, through its German company Sysgo, and Vector, the Stuttgart-based specialist for automotive embedded electronics founded a joint-venture to address the critical issue of multiple software managing multiple – often safety-critical – functions.
The volume and complexity of software used to manage virtually every aspect of a connected or autonomous vehicle, both mechanic and electronic, could bear a potential risk to people’s safety. Each software presents a potential attack surface for security breaches, which could affect the overall reliability of the vehicle. The aim of this partnership is to co-develop an integrated software platform for improved performance and cybersecurity.
Through this joint-venture, Thales and Vector will combine their respective embedded systems expertise in aviation safety and in automotive software according to ISO 26262 to offer a single platform to run the car’s software and applications. By simplifying the vehicle’s control systems they aim to strengthen its cyber-protection whilst ensuring the isolation of individual applications.
To achieve this, the two experts will co-develop the new platform by combining two pre-existing products: MICROSAR, Vector’s AUTOSAR Adaptive basic software, and PikeOS, Sysgo’s real-time operating system. Through this integration, coupled with further co-development, Thales and Vector will provide the automotive industry with a single source solution.
Designed for the new generation of high-performance Electronic Control Units based on AUTOSAR Adaptive standard, a release of the joint solution for prototype applications is planned in 2018 and series releases for safety-relevant control units are planned for 2019.
Source: Thales
