Why use a hypervisor to upgrade an existing OEM In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) system?
Drivers are used to operating systems found in consumer electronics through daily use of smartphones and tablets. This is why carmakers are looking to upgrade their IVI systems by implementing operating systems that mimic consumer electronics. The ease in which the COQOS Hypervisor SDK integrates CE-grade operating systems, opens a new opportunity for OEMs: they can add new operating systems on top of their custom IVI systems thereby leveraging the investment made during many years of intense customer-driven development. End-customers can switch between IVI systems seamlessly without noticing the switch.
The automotive virtual platform makes it possible
Since OpenSynergy’s COQOS Hypervisor SDK virtual platform relies on the open standard VIRTIO, it can efficiently integrate CE-grade operating systems into automotive IVIs as virtual machines. VIRTIO is a device-sharing standard long established in the cloud domain and implemented in most of the Consumer Electronics (CE) operating systems. With its open source activities, OpenSynergy is pushing for the adoption of VIRTIO in the automotive domain.
Partners support smooth integration
COQOS Hypervisor SDK securely integrates different OSes, ensuring freedom of interference between the systems. Furthermore, OpenSynergy is partnering with CE companies, such as Google (Android) and Banma (AliOS), to ensure the smooth integration of the new operating systems, e.g. ensuring compliance to Android’s Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) and Vendor Test Suite (VTS).
Continues to perform well
The current IVI and the CE-grade operating system run side-by-side on a single high performance System-on-Chip. While additional resources (e.g. RAM, CPU, Flash) for the new OS need to be taken into account, COQOS Hypervisor does not require significant overhead. The existing infotainment system maintains its performance, as it continues to use native drivers (pass-through) after adding the virtual machine.
Adapts to local needs
The new concept allows OEMs to quickly provide up-to-date features to customers (e.g. online services, access to App stores) using the current IVI already in production. It also allows them to customize the IVI to local needs, i.e. add a local OS (e.g. Android in US, AliOS in China) to the existing IVI in an uncomplicated manner.
Already in mass production
OpenSynergy has already implemented the concept in mass production with a global automotive OEM, which is now able to provide a new driving experience to their customers, without hardware cost and development complexity.