[Csci1301] Cars and Computers

[John Howland]

You know I've used (perhaps overused) the automobile as an example
(which we all know something -- to a degree -- about) for a variety
of analogies from design to software engineering.  Here is a news
item from LinuxWorld (a Linux trade publication) about the software
cost and content in modern automobiles and how Linux may lower those
costs.

Today's focus:  Linux revs up (and shrinks down) for car 
computer systems

By Phil Hochmuth

Soon, having Linux "under the hood" may take on a more literal 
meaning.

Austin's embedded Linux vendor Metrowerks recently announced the 
release of what it calls Automotive Grade Linux, a version of 
the open source operating system modified to run as an 
electronics control system in automobiles.

Metrowerks took a standard Linux kernel, boiled it down and then 
tweaked it to act as a control system for such computerized 
automobile functions as airbag deployment, anti-lock breaking 
and cruise control systems. Specifically, the code has been 
optimized to meet industry requirements for automotive 
computing, such as low power consumption, fast boot-up time (who 
has time to let their car's PC warm up?) and sub-40-millisecond 
response time for onboard vehicle computer systems.

Metrowerks will sell its software to developers of automotive 
computing and telematics systems, as well as to automakers. The 
timing for the emergence of this type of Linux is good, as 
automakers are looking for ways to develop more reliable 
computerized components at lower cost. Technologists at GM have 
said that more than a third of the cost in making an automobile 
is now associated with electronics and software. The car maker 
has also said that it expects the amount of software in the 
average auto it makes to reach 100 million lines of code by 
2010. (For perspective, Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional had 
29 million lines when it was released.)

The Automotive Grade Linux announcement also follows the recent 
formation of the Open Source Real-Time Linux project, which aims 
to standardize how Linux is developed as RTOS software. Although 
the two efforts are not related, these are strong signs that 
Linux is becoming a more embedded piece of infrastructure in all 
types of computing applications.

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_______________________________________________________________
John E. Howland       url: http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~jhowland/
Computer Science    email: jhowland at ariel.cs.trinity.edu
Trinity University  voice: (210) 999-7364
One Trinity Place     fax: (210) 999-7477
San Antonio, Texas  78212-7200