Key technologies
Key technologies¶
Learn about the core technologies that make AutoSD suitable for automotive use cases.
Mixed criticality and safety¶
Challenge: Automotive systems must run both safety-critical and non-critical applications on shared hardware while ensuring Freedom from Interference.
AutoSD solution: Container-based isolation with dedicated partitions
- Root partition: System services and safety-critical applications
- QM partition: Non-critical applications with resource constraints
- Container isolation: Process, network, and filesystem separation
- Resource management: CPU, memory, and I/O allocation controls
Real-world impact: Run infotainment (QM) and brake lights (ASIL B) on the same ECU without interference.
Real-time and performance¶
Challenge: Automotive applications require predictable, low-latency responses for safety and user experience.
AutoSD solution: kernel-automotive with Real-Time Linux optimizations
- Deterministic scheduling: PREEMPT_RT kernel configuration
- Priority-based execution: Real-time scheduler with automotive priorities
- Interrupt handling: Threaded interrupts and IRQ affinity tuning
- Memory management: NUMA awareness and memory allocation strategies
Real-world impact: Guarantee fast response times for critical control loops and sensor processing.
Immutable OS and updates¶
Challenge: Automotive systems need reliable, fail-safe updates that work across diverse hardware platforms.
AutoSD solution: OSTree-based immutable filesystem with atomic operations
- Atomic updates: Complete success or automatic rollback
- Delta compression: Bandwidth-efficient over-the-air updates
- Dual boot: A/B deployment slots for safety
- Cryptographic verification: Signed updates with tamper detection
Real-world impact: Deploy updates to vehicle fleets with zero downtime and automatic rollback on failure.
Container-native applications¶
Challenge: Modern automotive software requires flexible deployment, lifecycle management, and security isolation.
AutoSD solution: Podman and systemd integration with automotive-specific features
- Systemd integration: Services managed as system units
- Quadlet: Declarative container deployment
- Resource limits: CPU, memory, and I/O constraints
- Network policies: Micro-segmentation and communication control
Real-world impact: Deploy applications as containers with hardware-level isolation and systemd reliability.