AUTOSAR AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN AUTOMOTIVE
Published: 2023-12-27 06:54:16

**INTRODUCTION**

Hello Readers,

My name is Rajesh M, and I work at Luxoft India as a Junior Software Developer. Luxoft has given me several opportunities to work on various projects, which has inspired me to learn the essential processes involved in developing AUTOSAR Modulеs and Add-Ons in AUTOSAR AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN AUTOMOTIVE.

**INTRODUCTION TO AUTOSAR.**

The AUTOSAR was developed by different automobile manufacturing companies in the year 2003 like BMW, Continental AG, Daimler-Benz, Robert Bosch GmbH, Siemens VDO, for establishing an open industry-standard architecture for electrical and electronic devices in an automobile. In November of the same year, such a famous car company as Ford joined as a main partner. In December, Toyota Motor Corporation and Groupe PSA joined the ranks. In February 2008, after Siemens VDO Company was obtained through Continental, then it is ceased being an autonomous Core Partner for AUTOSAR.

In the year 2003, AUTOSAR has released four major software architectures for automotive industries. The AUTOSAR work can be divided into 3-phases. In the 1st stage 200 -06, basic development was done, in the 2nd stage 2007-09; core development was extended to architecture and methodology. In the third phase between 2010 and 2013, protection and recommended improvements can be made. The work on the adaptive platform started in 2016, and the most important development initiatives were finally published in Classic, Adaptive and Foundation of AUTOSAR magazines.

**What is AUTOSAR?**

The term AUTOSAR stands for “Automotive Open System Architecture”. It is a standardized and open software architecture for the automotive industry. This architecture supports application software interfaces and basic vehicle functions. And it also helps create a software architecture for the engine control system familiar to all AUTOSAR partners.

AUTOSAR is used to providing partners with inherent advantages in managing more complex electrical and electronic systems in a vehicle, such as easy integration, switching functions in a complex engine control network (ECU), and managing the entire product life cycle.

This automotive software architecture was developed in collaboration with various car manufacturers, tool developers and suppliers. This platform improves the functionality of the vehicle in the automotive industry without disrupting the current model.

**Autosar Architecture with Example**

The layered architecture of AUTOSAR divides the software into five layers. First, we discuss an OSI-based but characteristic layer model that explains the hierarchical structure of the AUTOSAR software. For this reason, it sub-divides into three parts like fundamental software, runtime environment & application layer. In each layer, certain software modules are abstract and these layers communicate through interfaces.



![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/j72t84zrnpgng5y5e1n3.png)


Various layers of AUTOSAR architecture like Application Layer, RTE (Runtime Environment), Service Layer and BSW (Base Software) etc. run on the microcontroller. Each layer contains predefined software modules and services that make application software device-independent. engine control unit.

**Application Layer**

The first layer of the AUTOSAR architecture is the application layer, which supports the implementation of custom functions. It contains both software components and several applications to perform specific tasks according to instructions.

This layer contains three components such as application software, software ports and port interfaces. For these components, the architecture ensures standardized interfaces within the application layer. Software components in this layer help create simple applications to support vehicle functions.

Communication between these components can be enabled through specific ports using a virtual function bus. These ports facilitate communication between the BSW and software components of AUTOSAR.

This is an overview of the architecture of AUTOSAR and it supports real-time supplies and security constraints. Depending on the MCU, the standard platform supports various applications such as security and networking, allowing the vehicle's engine controls to interact with the vehicle's sensors and actuators.

**RTE (Runtime Environment)**

RTE is a middleware layer that provides communication services to AUTOSAR software components, and applications include sensor or actuator parts of AUTOSAR. Its main purpose is to make the software components independent so that they can be precisely matched to the engine control system.

The main features of RTE include the following.

1. It is specific for the engine control system & application.
2. It is generated for every engine control unit.
3. Its interface is totally independent of the engine control unit.

**Service Layer**

It is the main software layer that provides various functions such as the following.

1. Operating system
2. Memory service
3. Network communication for vehicle
4. State management of engine control unit
5. Problem-solving service

This layer provides core software modules and services for various applications. 

The main features of the service layer are as follows.

1. Especially for MCU (microcontroller unit) and ECU hardware
2. Its user interface is independent of both ECU and MCU

**BSW (Basic Software)**

The basic software layer includes three layers namely

ECU Abstraction Layer
Complex Drivers
MCAL (Microcontroller Abstraction Layer)

**Objectives of AUTOSAR**

The main objectives of AUTOSAR include the following.

1. Activation of redundancy
2. Operations from one ECU to another can be done online
3. Maintainability during the entire product life cycle
4. Incorporation of functional modules from many suppliers
5. Increased utilize of COTS hardware.
6. Software updates throughout the life of the car.
7. Scalability to various automobiles
8. Implementation of important functions, as a typical core solution for the entire industry
9. Safety requirements

**CONCLUSION**

In this Article I have Tried to explain about Autosar and its Significance in Automotive Thankyou.