In Mainz, the Birthplace of Modern Knowledge Sharing, the Software-Defined Vehicle Takes Center Stage
Collocated with the brand-new conference Open Community Experience (OCX), Open Community for Automotive (OCA) will gather professionals, developers, and enthusiasts to discuss the latest innovations, tools, and trends shaping the future of automotive technology. Attendees can expect a mix of hand-picked technical talks, inspiring keynotes, and ample networking opportunities, all designed to foster collaboration and drive innovation in open source automotive solutions. Set to take place 22-24 October, the event is a must-attend for those interested in the intersection of technology and the automotive industry.
You haven’t made up your mind about whether you’ll attend? Here are three compelling reasons why it’s worth the trip to Mainz, Germany – a city with a rich history of technical innovation as the birthplace of modern book printing.
Reason no. 1: The Future of the Software-Defined Vehicle Is All About Collaboration.
Collaboration and competition aren’t mutually exclusive. On the contrary, collaboration on open source software building blocks lays the foundation for customer-focused features that help businesses secure a competitive edge. A great example of how several big companies join forces to collaborate on open source is the Eclipse uProtocol project. In their joint talk at OCA, entitled “Establishing Open Source Software Culture in the Automotive Industry,” Steven Hartley (General Motors) and Kai Hadulla (Bosch) will focus on the evolution of Eclipse uProtocol and its journey towards becoming a potential standard for in- and off-vehicle communication. They will also demonstrate how to strike a balance between innovation and policy enforcement, highlighting the collaborative development culture within the Eclipse SDV Working Group.
Reason no. 2: The Belief That Certifications Can Only Be Obtained in a Proprietary Automotive Environment Is Flawed.
The safety-critical nature of automotive solutions imposes stringent development standards on carmakers. This is why certification processes are a tough nut to crack for the open source world. Does this mean certifications are out of reach for open source ecosystems? No. While this area poses significant challenges, those in the automotive industry inclined to use open standards are currently paving the way for integrating open source software with functional safety certifications.The Eclipse ThreadX project is the first open source real-time operating system (RTOS) to hold a safety certification. In her session “Functional Safety for Open Source Software – reality or wishful thinking?” Dana Vede (Eclipse Foundation) will throw a light on ThreadX, introducing methods to bridge the gap between corporate certification processes and the open source development model. The goal of her session is, as she puts it, to “debunk the myth” that a proprietary environment is the only natural habitat for certifications.
Reason no. 3: The Automotive Industry Is Working with Cutting-Edge Technologies.
Contrary to the common belief that the traditional automotive industry is forever rooted in “legacy” systems, numerous car manufacturers and suppliers have been embarking on the most innovative and disruptive transformations in today’s tech world. The Eclipse SDV Working Group, boasting more than 50 members, stands testament to this trend. Members of the working group have recently initiated three Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to explore and evaluate promising new technologies and innovations. One of these SIGs focuses on the programming language Rust, a rising star in the embedded and automotive domains. In his session “Revving Up Automotive Tech: Iceoryx2 Rewritten in Rust”, Christian Eltzschig (ekxide) explains the project team’s motivation behind transitioning Eclipse Iceoryx from C++ to Rust and why automotive companies might want to consider leveraging Rust for building high-performance, safe, and reliable software. To substantiate the project team’s shift to Rust, Christian will showcase language-inherent benefits such as memory safety and Rust’s concurrency model. He will also highlight other reasons to adopt the programming language, e.g. how the improved developer tooling helps developers write, test, and maintain code.
Bonus Reasons.
If those three talks haven't already piqued your interest, there's plenty more to look forward to – just take a glance at the full agenda. Plus, as a special bonus, OCA attendees get access to all the collocated events running in parallel, like the Open Community for Java and EclipseCon.
And honestly, where better to exchange ideas than in Mainz, the cradle of modern knowledge sharing, thanks to the invention of the printing press?
So what are you waiting for? Get your tickets before 23 September, 2024 to benefit from our early rates!
