congatec partners with Sysgo for RTOS for cybersecurity
Embedded and edge computing specialist, congatec has partnered with Sysgo, the real-time operating systems (RTOS) for safety and cybersecurity applications provider. The goal is to provide the critical systems markets, such as industrial automation, medical, smart energy, railway, commercial and autonomous vehicles, or construction machinery with Arm and x86-based turnkey solution platforms that are specifically tailored to address functional safety and cybersecurity requirements.
The first implementations, certifiable in appropriate designs up to ASIL B or SIL 2, will be made available on x86 and Arm Cortex-based computer on modules (CoMs). A typical use case is Safety Element out of Context (SEooC) as defined in ISO 26262.
A strong root of trust is essential for the safety and security of applications in environments that form part of critical infrastructures – aka KRITIS – as specified by the German Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) and the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).
Engineers who develop IEC 61508 compliant functional safety appliances need embedded and edge computing platforms that are ready for certification – including drivers, board support packages (BSPs) and comprehensive documentation for the respective certificate. The congatec modules will incorporate a functional safety compliant computing core based on Sysgo’s PikeOS RTOS and hypervisor with Linux, plus certifiable BSPs. The first, Intel and NXP processor-based platforms will target mobility appliances for the railway and commercial vehicle markets, including transport logistics. All common standard communication protocols for use in functional safety applications such as Ethernet and serial interfaces will be supported. The turnkey platforms will also come with the relevant requirements documents, covering all hierarchy levels that are structured by requirement IDs including traceability, so as to simplify reuse in customers’ own certifications and documentation. OEMs can benefit from competent contacts, should they have questions regarding security-relevant software implementation; customers can ask an expert about the safety-relevant software implementation.
The service is designed to simplify and shorten the development process of safety and security-critical systems, providing comprehensive certification support for the various safety standards analogue to the ICE 61508 standard for functional safety of electronic systems. Support for the Sysgo PikeOS RTOS and hypervisor based platforms ranges from railway (EN 50129 / EN 50657), commercial and agricultural vehicles (ISO 26262), civil avionics (DO‑254), and PLCs in automation and process control (IEC 61508), to medical applications (IEC 62304). The PikeOS EAL3+ has security certification according to the Common Criteria standard.
“The partnership with SYSGO extends the scope of congatec’s existing automation, collaborative robotics and railway platforms to safety and security-critical systems,” explains Christian Eder, director marketing at congatec.
“The latest platforms from NXP and Intel make it possible for the first time to develop functional safety-critical systems without additional hardware,” he adds.
“To lower development and certification costs, manufacturers of functional safety-critical equipment focus on using pre-certified COTS software and hardware. This accelerates the development cycle, mitigates design risks for safety-critical devices, and reduces certification costs,” says Martin Danzer, director product management at congatec.
“Entering into a strategic partnership . . . enables us to offer customers scalable integrated hardware and software execution platforms that reduce time to market in complex embedded and edge computing projects,” comments Sysgo’s CEO, Etienne Butery.
“Leveraging multi-core technologies and bringing together safety and cybersecurity capability . . . will bring our customers a valuable competitive advantage in their markets, while by design also addressing the increasing connectivity-related cybersecurity challenges,” he adds.
