Automotive digital instruments platform aims at next-gen ADAS, Clusters and Telematics

July 12, 2012 // Christoph Hammerschmidt

Green Hills Software solutions announced a platform for automotive digital instruments. Unlike legacy clusters, which often run simple OSEK kernels, next-generation designs require a partitioning real-time system that can support a challenging combination of hard real-time I/O, safety and security-critical functions, and high-end 3D graphics. Anchored by new features of the Integrity real-time operating system (RTOS), the Green Hills Platform for Automotive Digital Instruments meets these requirements.

Key new capabilities of the software platform include:

1. Native OpenGL 3D graphics support for the Integrity RTOS;
   
2. Automotive application programming interfaces, such as OSEK;
   
3. Compliance to ISO 26262 ASIL D automotive safety standard for RTOS and compile.

Green Hills will demonstrate at FTF this week the Platform for Automotive Digital Instruments, including Integrity and its native 3D graphics running on a Freescale Semiconductor i.MX6x multicore SoC along with seamless methods for safely and reliably consolidating legacy ECU software modules with next-generation automotive electronics. In addition, Integrity supports Freescale's partitioning-capable automotive processor families for both ARM Architecture (i.MX) and Power Architectureh technology (Qorivva microcontrollers), with scalability from microcontroller designs to high-end infotainment systems running Android, GENIVI, or other multimedia OSes hosted on Integrity Multivisor virtualization technology.

"Green Hills Software offers a compelling solution for the latest digital instrument clusters due to its ability to provide the stable foundation for real-time and safety functions on the same platform. Its real-time operating systems and software development tools allow OEMs to achieve maximum hardware and software flexibility while controlling production costs," said Ray Cornyn, vice president of Freescale's Automotive MCU business.

"Freescale's automotive semiconductor solutions scale across so much of the digital vehicular infrastructure," said David Kleidermacher, chief technology officer, Green Hills Software. "Next-generation automotive electronics, built on Freescale's advanced multicore processors and the Green Hills Platform for Automotive Digital Instruments, enable OEMs and Tier-1s to manage software complexity and stringent safety demands while trailblazing powerful driver and passenger experiences."

The Green Hills Software Platform for Automotive Digital Instruments includes the following major components:

1. Integrity RTOS;
   
2. Integrity Multivisor virtualization technology for GENIVI, Android, and other OSes;
   
3. Advanced human-interface software and drivers for Integrity, including OpenGL 3D graphics and Qt Commercial;
   
4. Integrity real-time programming interfaces, such as OSEK and POSIX;
   
5. Middleware and drivers for automotive connectivity, including CAN, MOST, WLAN, USB, BlueTooth, and IPv6;
6. MULTI integrated software development environment, including integration with third party automotive toolsets such as MathWorks' Embedded Coder and Simulink;
   
7. The leading automotive toolchain - optimizing compilers with certified EEMBC performance 30 – 35% higher than competing compilers, and support for MISRA C/C++ and DoubleCheck static analyzer;
8. Green Hills Probe for hardware bring-up and low-level debugging and development;
9. TimeMachine debugger and SuperTrace Probe, for advanced system analysis via on-chip trace;
   
10. Compliance to ISO 26262 ASIL D automotive safety standard for RTOS and compiler. 

The Platform for Automotive Digital Instrumentation is available now. The Platform is available across a wide range of automotive-grade CPU solutions.

Technical papers     

• High Voltage Surge Stoppers Ensure Reliable Operation During Power Surges
• AR RF/Microwave Instrumentation Field Analyzers
• 16-Bit, 100 kSPS Low Power Successive Approximation ADC System
• Replacing the Candle in the Candelabra

December 15, 2011 | Texas instruments | 222901974

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