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Comparison of AUTOSAR Classic and Adaptive Platforms

The AUTOSAR standard defines variations of the software architecture called AUTOSAR platforms: Classic Platform (CP) and Adaptive Platform (AP).

When you choose which platform to use for designing and implementing an AUTOSAR software component, review the information in this table for guidance.

AUTOSAR Platform Comparison

Goal or FeatureClassic PlatformAdaptive Platform
Use casesEmbedded systemsHigh performance computing, communication with external resources, and flexible deployment
Programming languageCC++
Operating systemBareboardPOSIX
Real-time requirementsHard Soft
Computing powerLowHigh
CommunicationSignal-basedEvent-based, service-oriented
Safety and security SupportedSupported
Dynamic updatingNot availableIncremental deployment and run-time configuration changes
Level of standardizationHigh—detailed specifications Low—APIs and semantics
Agile developmentNoYes

Classic Platform

The Classic Platform addresses requirements of deeply embedded electronic control units (ECUs) that control electrical output signals based on input signals and information from other ECUs connected to a vehicle network. Typically, you design and implement the control software for a specific type of vehicle, which does not change during the lifetime of the vehicle.

The Run-Time Environment (RTE) layer of the software architecture handles communication between AUTOSAR software components in the Application layer and between AUTOSAR software components and services provided by the Basic Software layer. The Basic Software layer consists of:

  • Services, such as system, memory, and communication services

  • Device drivers

  • ECU abstraction

  • Microcontroller abstraction

Demonstrating communication between AUTOSAR software components in the Application layer via the Run-Time Environment to the Basic Software layer containing services, ECU Abstractions, Device Drivers, and Microntroller Abstraction.

The Classic Platform uses a virtual functional bus (VFB) to support hardware-independent development and usage of AUTOSAR application software. The bus consists of abstract representations of RTEs for specific ECUs, decoupling AUTOSAR software components in the Application layer of the architecture from the architecture infrastructure. AUTOSAR software components and the bus communicate by using dedicated ports. You configure an application by mapping component ports to the RTE representations of the system ECUs.

The AUTOSAR Software Components are connected via ports. Mapping for deployment is shown by expanding microcontrollers from the virtual function bus to demonstrate that each microcontroller may have it's own application, RTE, and basic software layers, which are then connected via a gateway.

Adaptive Platform

The Adaptive Platform is a distributed computing and service-oriented architecture (SOA). The platform provides high-performance computing, message-based communication mechanisms, and flexible software configuration for supporting applications, such as automated driving and infotainment systems. Software based on this platform can:

  • Meet strict integrity and security requirements

  • Address environment perception and behavioral response planning

  • Integrate a vehicle into the back end or infrastructure of an external system

  • Address changes to external systems because you can update the software during the lifetime of a vehicle

The RTE layer of the software architecture includes the C++ standard library. It supports communication between AUTOSAR software components in the Application layer and between AUTOSAR software components and software provided by the Basic Software layer. The Basic Software layer consists of system foundation software and services. AUTOSAR software components in the Application layer communicate with each other, with nonplatform services, and with foundation software and services by responding to event-driven messages. Software components interact with software in the Basic Software layer by using C++ application programming interfaces (APIs).

Foundation software includes the POSIX operating system and software for system management tasks, such as:

  • Execution management

  • Communication management

  • Time synchronization

  • Identity access management

  • Logging and tracing

Examples of services include:

  • Update and configuration management

  • Diagnostics

  • Signal-to-service mapping

  • Network management

ECU hardware on which a single instance of an Adaptive Platform application runs is a machine. A machine might be one or more chips or a virtual hardware component. The hardware can be a single chip that hosts one or more machines or multiple chips that host a single machine.

The Adaptive Platform supports hardware-independent development and usage of AUTOSAR application software. Abstract representations of RTEs for specific ECUs (microcontrollers, high-performance microcontrollers, and virtual machines) decouple AUTOSAR software components in the Application layer of the architecture from the architecture infrastructure. AUTOSAR software components and foundation software and services communicate by using dedicated ports. You configure an application by mapping component ports to the RTE representations of the system ECUs.

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