OTS - OpenSynergy Works with Google and Qualcomm to Deliver Virtualized Android Automotive OS Reference Platform (part 1)
2021. September 08. 08:00
Berlin, 8 September, 2021 (APA/OTS) - OpenSynergy introduced today
the company's new automotive reference platform for virtual
Android™ 11 (based on Trout). With technology from Google and
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., the reference platform features the
integration of the Virtual I/O (VIRTIO) framework into Android
Automotive OS, which allows Android to run on any hypervisor
supporting the upcoming VIRTIO devices and any system on chip
(SoC). The reference platform contains Android 11, a board support
package (BSP) from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and the
VIRTIO-based COQOS Hypervisor SDK, all of which are running on a
Snapdragon® Automotive Development Platform (ADP).
VIRTIO is an established virtualization standard maintained by
the OASIS Open consortium that provides a device sharing framework
for devices such as Block, Network, Console, graphics processing
unit (GPU), Input, etc. As active members of the consortium,
OpenSynergy and Google have worked to expand the scope of the open
standards in the automotive domain. As there are missing
automotive-specific VIRTIO devices, the two companies are working
within the OASIS consortium to close the gap. Furthermore, the
collaboration between OpenSynergy and Google aims to allow
flexibility to automakers and Tier-1 suppliers to switch between
SoCs and hypervisors to best match their needs.
The reference platform showcases an Android Automotive OS-based
Cockpit Domain Controller (CDC) architecture. Similar to other
CDCs, the underlying hypervisor guarantees the secure coexistence
of Android (typically a QM system) with systems of higher
criticality, such as the real-time OS displaying the telltales on
an Instrument Cluster (typically ASIL B).
The novelty lies in deploying a fully virtualized Android
Automotive OS (Trout), i.e., an Android version with no
dependencies on the hardware. Instead of directly accessing the
hardware devices, Android accesses these devices using the
standardized VIRTIO framework provided by the underlying virtual
platform.
A fully virtualized Android Automotive OS can easily be ported
onto any hardware supported by the underlying virtual platform. In
the case of the COQOS Hypervisor SDK, the hardware is any
automotive relevant ARMv8-A-based SoC. The clean architectural
separation introduced by VIRTIO makes updating Android and the BSP
easy.
The reference platform and the usage of virtualized Android
Automotive OS were showcased over the last year in several
promotional events. Now, customers can access it and develop their
specific applications on it. The released reference platform is
intended only for research and pre-development purposes and not for
series production. Customers can acquire the Snapdragon ADP through
Qualcomm Technologies' distribution channels. The reference
platform software is now available at OpenSynergy.
Jonathan Siegel, Portfolio Manager of OpenSynergy: "It has been
an honor to work with Google and Qualcomm Technologies on such a
game-changing project for the automotive industry. After intense
years of development, the day has come in which we at OpenSynergy
are finally releasing the virtual Android Automotive OS reference
platform to the community. We are confident that this will ignite a
new dynamic features we did not thinkof will be developed; easier
deployment processes will be implemented. And we look forward to
what comes next for VIRTIO-based Android. The community will guide
us!"
Find more on our website:
www.opensynergy.com/coqos-hypervisor-sdk-trial-for-android-reference-platform/
(continues)