TTTech Auto, a leader in automotive safety software, and ZettaScale Technology, a developer of communication technologies and protocols, have launched Zetta Auto. Zetta Auto is a data-centric communication solution focusing on safe, performant, and predictable Serviced-Oriented Architecture (SOA) communication.
Extending the scope of the collaboration, Zetta Auto is also paving the way for a much-needed unification across the cloud-to-microcontroller communication continuum.
Unlocking the full capabilities of software-defined vehicles demands a communication solution that is interoperable with automotive frameworks, and allows software and hardware to evolve independently while being performant, predictable and safe.
Zetta Auto achieves this by combining the power of Data Distribution Service (DDS), Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) and Zenoh (pub/sub/query). Through the unified integration of these protocols, Zetta Auto’s capabilities are tailored to the specific needs of the automotive industry, and deliver adaptable communication solutions for both current and future vehicle architectures.
Source: TTTech Auto
The in-vehicle communication solution, leveraging and extending ZettaScale’s open-core Cyclone DDS, empowers vehicle applications to exchange information across a wide range of operating systems, development languages and complex processor architectures and microcontrollers.
Seamless interoperability and developer-friendly flexibility are achieved while ensuring predictable quality of service, remarkable throughput and minimal latency. The result is a substantial enhancement to end-to-end vehicle performance and robust networking capabilities, ideally suited for domain-based and zonal electronic/electrical architectures currently being developed, the partners said.
Zetta Auto empowers car manufacturers to harness the benefits of TSN, facilitating real-time communication within vehicles. This critical feature plays a pivotal role in unlocking the era of software-defined vehicles, enabling seamless software integration, validation and verification through end-to-end communication properties. With the inclusion of the TSN tool suite and integration capabilities, car manufacturers can confidently achieve advanced functionality with remarkable speed and efficiency.
Zetta Auto’s integrated solution for microcontrollers builds on Zenoh Pico, a lightweight implementation of Zenoh, to guarantee minimal CPU and memory usage, resulting in an optimized footprint. It seamlessly integrates with AUTOSAR Classic, simplifying the development process with its included toolchain, and reducing the need for software component modifications.
With this launch, we are bringing mature technology already proven in other industries to the automotive industry and combining it with time-sensitive networking capabilities. In this way, we can unleash the potential of DDS for development teams while keeping system integrability under control. Zetta Auto is our first step in making service-oriented architecture a reality in the automotive industry.
—Salvador Rodriguez, Head of Product Management at TTTech Auto
Zetta Auto is compatible with MotionWise, TTTech Auto’s Safety Middleware on the road in millions of vehicles, and enables interoperability with established and standardized software stacks such as Robot Operating System 2 (ROS2) and AUTOSAR. This ensures a smooth and efficient integration experience throughout all development phases, empowering automotive developers with a flexible, versatile and robust solution. In addition, Zetta Auto will be extended with ASIL-D certification for in-vehicle communication in early 2024.
Together with ZettaScale, we will develop the next industry standard for safety and reliability in the rapidly evolving field of autonomous driving. Zetta Auto is part of a set of software services and tools provided by TTTech Auto to develop vehicle operating systems that meet defined safety and performance standards.
—Friedhelm Pickhard, CGO at TTTech Auto
