Multi-operating system virtualization has become the mainstream trend of smart cockpits. Based on the Linux underlying operating system, dual systems such as QNX and Android have almost become the standard configuration of new smart cockpit cars.
Recently, the world's largest automotive-grade Linux alliance AGL (Open Source Shareware Platform) announced the release of the latest code version library, named UCB10, also known as "jumping jellyfish."
In the past few years, based on the collaborative development of hundreds of automakers, tier-one component suppliers, and hardware and software manufacturers around the world, the AGL Unified Code Base (UCB) has become a de facto cluster for infotainment, telematics and instrumentation Industry standards.
1. AGL has a long way to go
"The AGL platform is based on Yocto, and now we have updated the first long-term support (LTS) version of Yocto, called Dunfell." said the Executive Director of Linux Foundation Automotive Linux. The
Yocto open source collaboration project focuses on serving developers of embedded Linux systems. The goal of this project is to provide software tools for embedded Linux distributions to improve the software development process.
"This is important because it means that the Yocto project will provide patches, fixes and updates over a long period of time. This is essential for automotive systems. The life cycle of this industry is longer than many other embedded Linux applications. "The person in charge said.
According to the latest information, UCB10 includes an operating system, motherboard support package, middleware, application frameworks and application APIs. In addition to updating to the first long-term support (LTS) version of the Yocto project,
also introduced a new window manager "agl-compositor", rewritten automatic build scripts, and motherboard support packages (BSPs) updates, such as adding support for i .MX8 support.
Toyota is the first OEM to mass-produce the AGL open source system. The migration from a closed system to an open source platform has saved a lot of unnecessary costs due to collaborative development. Therefore, automakers including Volkswagen and Audi have switched from QNX to AGL. .
However, the automotive-grade Android system is one of AGL's biggest competitors. The two platforms have great similarities. The former also includes the pre-developed main car extension code base, which reduces development time and cost, and is even more powerful in the application ecology. Z2z
has even predicted that the first milestone will be achieved in 2027, when the scale of automotive-grade Android system pre-installation will exceed QNX, and by 2029, it will eventually surpass automotive-grade Linux systems.
However, in China, the largest single car market in the future, the situation is more complicated.
For Android, on the one hand, it has to seize the market with QNX and AGL. QNX has quickly expanded to key security functions such as ADAS; on the other hand, AliOS and Huawei Hongmeng OS are potential competitors.
takes into account that behind AliOS and Huawei Hongmeng OS are two major technology giants, Alibaba and Huawei, with obvious advantages in localized services and application development. Among them, Alibaba has a huge Chinese Internet local application service ecosystem.
However, for AGL, the biggest problem is the acceptance of open source. At present, although many companies have begun to accept the idea of AGL, it has taken several years to make the current progress.
and automotive-grade Android also has its own problems.
For example, last year General Motors announced that it will start to carry automotive-grade Android in 2021, and will first be launched in markets outside of China.
One thing to note is that General Motors chose Android Automotive OS this time, temporarily excluding the Chinese market, which means there may be other options.
Judging from the current application situation, Linux is expected to have the largest market share in Europe and Japan, while the Android platform will grow the fastest in North America.
2. Completely different competition situation in China
Judging from the current development trend, in the future, multiple operating systems will complement each other, and it is more likely to exist in parallel in vehicle systems.
cut from the in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system. So far, the instrument cluster and HUD configuration files have become part of the previously released version of AGL, which is codenamed "Funky der".
In addition, AGL will be extended in voice, cloud computing and virtualization. Virtualization will allow AGL to work in parallel with other traditional vehicle operating systems, such as BlackBerry’s QNX system.
At the same time, AGL is extending to driver assistance systems (ADAS), functional safety and autonomous driving operating systems. At present, it has not yet reached the requirements of the ISO 26262 standard. In this regard, Huawei's layout on the car operating system is also very similar. Previously, the company announced the launch of three in-vehicle operating systems for smart cockpits, autonomous driving and body control.
In view of the complementary advantages of Android and Linux, many automakers will deploy hybrid operating systems so that they can take advantage of Android’s huge application ecosystem, encourage a large number of third-party enhanced applications and user experience, and take advantage of the independence of Linux. Keep it personal.
For example, those automakers that have joined AGL did not exclude Android because the consensus is that these two OSs can run in parallel in future connected cars.
And Linux as a main operating system has great appeal, because it is not only applicable to Android, but also applicable to other operating systems that may run independently, thereby achieving differentiation.
is still facing many obstacles when developing an IVI system purely based on AGL. The
Camry is the first Toyota model to use the new Entune 3.0 infotainment system and 8-inch screen, and it is also the first model to use the automotive-grade Linux operating system (AGL).
According to data from a foreign organization, the average score of Entune 3.0 in the app store is only 1.5 points (out of 5 points). Obviously, for AGL, the difficulty lies not in the 70% shared code, but the 30% difference Whether chemical development can keep up with changes in market demand.
At one point, both Android and the zebra system based on AliOS are better. Obviously, AGL still has a long way to go. After all, it is currently relying on Toyota to break the "zero share."
In the Chinese market, AGL has stronger competitors. For example, Zebra Networks has formulated a "trilogy" strategic plan after adjusting its organizational structure, from smart cars to smart cabins to smart cars.
In addition, in the context of the deep integration of smart cars with mobile phones, smart homes, watches and other interfaces, Zebra Zhixing’s latest generation of VENUS system will also promote smart homes from -Cross-border connection of "car-home" scene service. According to Zhang Chunhui, co-CEO of Zebra Networks, 2020 is the real beginning of the era of smart cars. The automotive industry has entered an inflection point of intelligence, and the operating system has its unique technical value and advantages.
Now, whether it is AGL or AliOS, the main direction of the next stage is how to help automakers reduce development costs while serving the next generation of electronic architecture.
Currently, Zebra Networks is leading the internal deployment of innovative smart cockpit hardware design, ECU/DCU integration networking strategy, and the design and development of car-level hypervisors.
In addition, new business sectors involving ADAS and autonomous driving are also being planned. Taking into account the back-end technical support of Alibaba Dharma Academy, Zebra Networks is very likely to become the "outlet" of technology products in the future.
