Linux is becoming the standard system for cars

Automotive Grade Linux

Only some brands like Cadillac and Tesla Motors used Linux for certain systems in their cars, but more and more brands are opting for the Linux kernel for their vehicles. In fact, the Linux Foundation has bet very strongly on this new sector of connected cars by creating under its umbrella the AGL (Automotive Grade Linux), an open source project to implement an open framework and operating system for cars of all kinds.

This started in 2012 and has come a long way since then, with members of the likes of Toyota (and Lexus evidently), which is the largest car manufacturer in the world, and others such as Fujitsu, HARMAN, NVIDIA, Renesas, Samsung, Texas Instruments, Nissan, Jaguar Land Rover, DENSO, Mazda, Panasonic, Suzuki, Honda, Amazon , NTT Data, Mercedes Benz, Pioneer, Qualcomm, Mitsubishi Electric, Adobe, ARM, Collabora, Eureka, Hitachi, Hyundai, Intel, LG, NEC, Microchip, Mediatek, SiFive, NXP, Oracle, Sony, Subaru, Toshiba, Synopsys, Qt, Trend Micro, and a very long etc. eye! And that a brand is not here does not mean that it does not collaborate or that it does not use it, only that its involvement is not that great.

Automotive Grade Linux

As you know, Linux has not conquered the only sector that remains to dominate, since the rest are totally dominated by it. It is paradoxical that it was created precisely for the sector that does not dominate, the desk. Instead, it has swept servers, supercomputers, embedded devices, mobile devices, new IoT devices, industry, and other fields such as the one we are dealing with today, that of connected vehicles.

Home appliances, televisions, weapons, cars, wearables ... the truth is that Linux is everywhere., less on users' desktops and laptops which is where it should be. On the other hand, in this sense, you only get a few quotas that depending on the statistic you look at ranges between 2 and 4% in the most optimistic cases, and adding ChromeOS as such. On the other hand, its competitors such as MacOS and Windows, obtain figures close to 10% and more than 80% for Microsoft.

The question that arises is: is it really so vital that Linux dominate the PC having all the power that Linux has? Well, I leave this question for you to reflect ...

Toyota with Linux on its console

As I have said, not only is AGL becoming the de facto system in the automotive industry, to be used for on-board systems or computers, but it is also present in engines and other parts of the car, since current cars They use electronic aids systems that need a computer, which is usually an embedded system with a microprocessor such as the PowerPC to control the control system. traction control, stability system, etc.

The Linux extension is such that you may not have to wonder if your car uses Linux or not, but rather how many Linux systems does my car have? One, two, three, ... Even in the competition teams of the highest categories of motorsport such as the Formula 1 uses Linux. The electronic control units (ECU) of the F1 cars have a PowerPC QuadCore, a built-in Linux system to control all the sensors, steering wheel and telemetry of the car. This ECU is manufactured by McLaren Electronics and has been standardized so it is used by all teams.

Those more than 140 members that we mentioned at the beginning in part, they are there to collaborate with each other and create a great LGA instead of each developing an independent system on their own, which would be more expensive and with a much worse result. Thus, they take the philosophy of the community of open source and all contribute their grain of sand to create a great mountain that we can all enjoy in the vehicles of today and tomorrow.

The result of this project, all this joint work is the UCB (Unified Code Base) representing 70% of the complete OS, that is, unified open source sources that will be used later by each of the members who need it, making the appropriate modifications, such as adding certain functionalities on that basis, different interfaces, etc., in depending on the needs of each.

Tesla with Linux on the computer

Although user experience The end may be different in each of the vehicle models and makes, the bases are the same, providing robustness, safety, and unparalleled performance. This is something similar to what happens with Google's Android, they make the base available to manufacturers, but each manufacturer such as Samsung, Xiaomi, etc., create a modified GUI for their terminals, on the other hand, others such as the terminals themselves Google, or BQ, etc., prefer to use the default interface.

In addition, in the computers with AGL on board the cars, we will also find a series of applications different installed according to each manufacturer considers. As they are connected cars, the new cars that are being sold also offer other services of their own or advantages that will have to be implemented and integrated with AGL so that they are supported in the car models.

For example, Swedish brand Volvo, use for their cars the so-called Sensus Connect and Care by Volvo. The first is based on Linux, of course, and offers a smart on-board computer with a multitude of options for both driving and entertainment, such as listening to your favorite music with the Spotify app that was also born in Sweden, a total connection with our mobile devices that we carry, etc.

Volvo XC40

In addition, through a X86-based SoC (Intel Atom), the Volvo XC40 models have managed to go one step further and become the first new generation cars to go on sale with a system called IVI (In-Vehicle-Infotainment) that results from the alliance of the Nordic firm with Google, being a pioneer in the market in this regard and showing the potential that Linux can bring to the automotive sector.

This type of system means having assistants in the car with IA with which the driver can interact using voice recognition, connection with the cloud, apps for entertainment, connectivity as if we were with our smartphone, tablet or PC, GPS with native Google maps, systems ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) to help prevent accidents, relevant information for passengers, and much more to come ... A huge infrastructure that works thanks to Linux!


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  1.   Nasher_87 (ARG) said

    Tesla's is Getoo