Open-source automotive systems: A logical progression
At the upcoming Linux Foundation Open Source Summit in Denver Philipp Ahmann will be representing ETAS GmbH (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bosch focusing on automotive software engineering). He will focus on three strategic contributions addressing the systematic challenges of integrating open-source software with safety-critical automotive systems.
The automotive industry's necessary evolution
The panel discussion "Driving Automotive Transformation With Open Source" offers a logical analysis of industry trends. While automotive systems have incorporated open-source components for years, the Software Defined Vehicle paradigm has fundamentally altered the implementation architecture. The establishment of OSPOs across OEMs and tier suppliers is not merely organizational restructuring—it signifies the recognition of a technical necessity.
This discussion will examine the empirical evidence driving this shift, analyzing the impact of global sanctions, connectivity requirements, and cybersecurity concerns on development frameworks. The transition from ad-hoc open-source usage to strategically managed implementation models warrants thorough technical assessment.
Standardizing quality assessment: a methodological challenge
The current disconnect between traditional V-Model development and CI/CD-based open-source practices represents a significant implementation barrier. Traditional quality standards are fundamentally misaligned with modern development paradigms, creating unnecessary friction for safety-critical applications.
Philipp’s presentation with Gabriele Paoloni named “Developing a Community-Driven Standard for Open Source Software Quality” introduces a framework for evaluating open-source process capabilities that resolves this architectural inconsistency. Their approach relies on objective metrics, incorporating relevant academic research and examining exemplary implementations. This work establishes clear assessment criteria that maintain rigor while accommodating distributed development models.
Eclipse S-Core: engineering safety through architecture
The Eclipse Safe Open Vehicle Core (S-Core) project exemplifies a systems engineering approach to automotive middleware through unprecedented collaboration between major OEMs and tier suppliers. Initiated as a code-first project between industry leaders including Mercedes Benz Tech Innovation and BMW, this effort develops a safety-certifiable stack for high-performance compute modules in software-defined vehicles.
The project's significance lies in its collaborative approach to addressing the middleware layer's critical position between hardware abstraction and platform APIs. By combining the engineering expertise of traditionally competitive automotive manufacturers and suppliers, S-Core establishes an industry-standard implementation that demonstrates ISO 26262, ASPICE, and ISO 21434 compliance without compromising technical innovation.
In his talk ”Building a Safe and Open Vehicle Core With Open Source” Philipp will detail how the project utilizes sophisticated open-source tools for verification through automated documentation frameworks using ReStructuredText, Sphinx-Needs, and Bazel. This approach enables systematic validation while maintaining the flexibility required for complex automotive systems.
Efficiency through integration
The intersection of these three critical domains—industry collaboration models, standardized quality assessment, and safety-certified middleware—represents a comprehensive approach to automotive open-source adoption. By simultaneously addressing regulatory, organizational, and technical barriers, this work supports a coherent framework for implementing open- source in safety-critical environments. For Bosch, this integrated approach offers a strategic advantage in developing scalable automotive solutions while reducing redundant compliance efforts, allowing the company to focus resources on differentiated technologies instead of common infrastructure.
More broadly, this multi-faceted strategy leverages established governance mechanisms through both, the Linux Foundation and Eclipse Foundation, to ensure transparent and vendor-neutral development. This coordinated approach enables more efficient knowledge transfer between previously siloed domains, accelerating innovation while maintaining necessary safety guardrails.
A personal note
The automotive industry stands at a fundamental crossroads where theoretical discussions about open-source must transition to systematic implementation. After 15 years working at this intersection, I have observed that safety and innovation, for example through open-source, are not opposing forces, but complementary components of a well-designed system.
The real challenge is not technical—it's architectural. We must design frameworks where safety requirements become enabling constraints rather than obstacles. My work across these domains is not about advocacy, but about creating logical systems that function predictably at scale.
Open-source provides an efficient methodology for collectively solving complex problems, but only when properly structured. The initiatives presented here represent verifiable pathways toward that structured approach. The standards, governance models, and technical implementations we are developing are not ends in themselves, but necessary foundations for the systems that will define transportation for decades to come.
For those interested in contributing to this transformation, I invite you to connect with me, examine these frameworks and help refine them. The future of automotive software depends not on individual brilliance, but on collective precision.
