Software-defined vehicles (SDV) are the future of automotive engineering. Software-based functions and Over-The-Air updates ensure greater security and comfort over the entire life cycle of a vehicle. Two previously separate technologies seem to be the perfect duo in this context: the AUTOSAR standard and the RUST programming language. Our blog provides an insight into why these two technologies can complement each other.
The AUTOSAR standard
AUTOSAR (AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture) is a globally recognised standard for the development of software architectures in the automotive industry. It offers a modular and scalable platform that enables developers to efficiently create and integrate complex software solutions in embedded systems. AUTOSAR promotes the interoperability and reusability of software components, which shortens development time and reduces costs. Expleo is a long-standing partner of the AUTOSAR consortium and has been involved as a Premium Partner since 2023. As such, we actively support the further development of the AUTOSAR standard with our own expertise and employees. Among other things, we are working in the Safety Working Group on how RUST can be used in future for safety-relevant embedded software in the AUTOSAR environment.
The contribution of RUST to automotive software
RUST is an open-source programming language characterised by its safety, speed and concurrency. Developed by Mozilla Research, it aims to solve some of the most common problems that can occur in traditional programming languages such as C and C++. These include memory errors and data races, which offer attackers potential gateways. RUST is currently used in many operating systems, but also in IoT projects. RUST is still being trialled for a broad roll-out in the automotive industry, and Expleo is also investigating the use of RUST in software development projects.
Security is paramount, but performance matters too.
A key feature of RUST is its strict memory management. Thanks to the concept of ‘ownership’ and the associated rules on lifespan and access to data, RUST prevents safety-critical defects such as memory leaks and buffer overflows. These safety mechanisms are particularly important for safety-critical applications in vehicles, where errors can have far-reaching consequences. In addition, RUST offers good support for concurrent programming. Thanks to its safe and efficient handling of threads, developers can implement parallel tasks without the typical risks of data races and deadlocks. This is particularly relevant for SDVs that need to process many sensors and systems in parallel with low latencies.
Why are AUTOSAR and RUST a good match for the development of SDVs?
- Safety and reliability: The combination of AUTOSAR and RUST can provide a robust basis for the development of safety-critical systems in the future. AUTOSAR ensures that the software architecture complies with current SW standards, while RUST minimises potential sources of error with its memory and thread safety mechanisms.
- Efficiency and performance: AUTOSAR enables efficient integration and management of software components, which shortens development time. RUST complements this with its high performance and efficiency, especially when processing parallel tasks, which are common in SDVs.
- Future-proof: The automotive industry is moving agilely towards software-defined vehicles. AUTOSAR and RUST offer future-proof platforms that can keep pace with the growing requirements and complexities of these vehicles. Rust’s compatibility with other languages such as C and C++ also enables the reuse of existing code and facilitates a gradual, cost-efficient transition.
Conclusion
Even if there are still many challenges to overcome, the integration of AUTOSAR and RUST in the development of SDVs offers numerous advantages. In addition to increased security and protection against cyber-attacks, reliability and efficient software management also speak in favour of RUST. In its work, Expleo not only combines many years of expertise in the fields of software development, automotive and safety, but is also actively involved in the research and further development of the AUTOSAR standard and new technologies. Our goal isto advance the development of SDVs safely and efficiently together with our customers.
