HighTec Pioneers the SDV Future with First ISO 26262 ASIL D Qualified Rust Compiler

HighTec EDV-Systeme GmbH has announced the first ISO 26262 ASIL D qualified Rust compiler for Infineon’s AURIX™ microcontrollers, marking a significant industry milestone.

In the rapidly evolving Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), security, complexity, and cost-effectiveness present significant challenges, moving the industry towards secure, safer and more efficient programming solutions. Rust is a memory safety programming language that provides a major advantage over traditional language by minimizing security risks, shortening development cycles and reducing costs. The announcement of HighTec being the first automotive grade Rust compiler for the AURIX microcontrollers marks a game changer in automotive software development.

Rust addresses the SDV’s challenges with its compile-time memory safety checks, acting as a safeguard against common vulnerabilities that are in systems written in C/C++, such as buffer overflows and pointer arithmetic. Rust’s compile-time memory safety checks, provides prevention measures that significantly reduce the need for exhaustive runtime testing and debugging. This not only simplifies the development process but also mitigates the financial impact associated with ensuring the safety and security of SDVs. Rust's impact on enhancing software security is significant, removing up to 70% of severe security bugs as shown by Google's adoption for Android OS. Recently the National Security Agency (NSA) and the White House have reinforced the move towards memory-safe languages as a key component for creating secure and reliable systems.

HighTec's pioneering step towards the Rust compiler qualification, that goes beyond language conformity, complements its successful C/C++ compiler for Infineon AURIX microcontrollers, which is also ASIL D qualified according to ISO 26262. Both compilers are built on the cutting-edge LLVM open-source technology. This unified toolchain solution allows seamless integration of newly developed Rust code with legacy C/C++ code or so-called hybrid development approach. Therefore, software developers e.g. can identify critical functions in terms of security, rewrite that part in Rust and integrate it in their overall system.

The rising interest in Rust for Infineon AURIX TC3x and TC4x among OEMs, tier-1 suppliers, and key automotive software providers is driven by the language's ability to simplify compliance with new regulations such as ISO 21434 and UNECE. AURIX microcontrollers are known for their robust safety and encapsulation features, proves to be the ideal microcontroller for Rust.

“There is a significant market desire of AURIX™ customers in the automotive and comparable dependability sensible segments to use efficient methods how to enhance security-critical software”, says Thomas Schneid, Senior Director Software, Partner & Ecosystem Management at Infineon. “The unique benefits of the Rust environment, specifically HighTec’s Rust and C/C++ compilers are tailor-made for the architecture-specific functions of the AURIX™ microcontrollers. With the latest safety-qualification of the HighTec Rust compiler, the customers’ expectations can be perfectly fulfilled.”

“We are proud to be the first to offer a full ISO 26262 ASIL D qualified Rust compiler to AURIX TC3x and TC4x developers,” says Mario Cupelli, CTO at HighTec EDV-Systeme. “Together with our highly optimized C/C++ compiler, we provide efficient and dependable tools for AURIX. This aligns with our strategy of offering safe and secure solutions based on innovative open-source technologies.”

The newly available V1.0 of the AURIX Rust compiler is ISO 26262 ASIL D qualified. HighTec facilitates the safety qualification process by offering a TÜV-certified Qualification Kit, ensuring flexibility to accommodate various customer use cases. Designed with Rust developers in mind, the compiler comes with a preconfigured cargo build system, providing seamless access to a broad Rust software ecosystem. This includes I/O crates, drivers, a Rust runtime, examples, and a Rust integration of PXROS-HR, HighTec's safety-certified real-time operating system.

For more information about HighTec's ISO 26262 ASIL D qualified Rust compiler for Infineon AURIX TC3x and TC4x, please visit.

www.hightec-rt.com

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