Red Hat and General Motors Collaborate to Trailblaze the Future of Software-Defined Vehicles

Rhea-AI Summary

Red Hat and General Motors (NYSE:GM) have announced a collaboration to advance software-defined vehicles, focusing on the Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System. This partnership aims to enhance GM's Ultifi platform by integrating a functional-safety certified Linux-based system. The collaboration will facilitate faster vehicle software updates, reduce development costs, and create new revenue models. Both companies aim to redefine the transportation landscape with improved cybersecurity, innovation in in-vehicle applications, and a more scalable design process, providing an enhanced driving experience for customers.

Positive

• Integration of Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System into GM's Ultifi platform to enhance software-defined vehicle capabilities.
• Expected reduction in development costs by consolidating and reusing software across a common platform.
• Improved development cycle leading to faster time-to-market for customer features.
• Introduction of continuous functional safety certification for safety applications.
• Creation of new services, business models, and revenue streams.

Negative

• None.

Industry leaders intend to redefine the transportation landscape with a continuous functional-safety certified, Linux-based in-vehicle operating system

BOSTON & DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Red Hat, Inc., the world's leading provider of open source solutions, and General Motors (NYSE:GM) today announced a collaboration to help advance software-defined vehicles at the edge. The companies expect to expand an ecosystem of innovation around the Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System, which provides a functional-safety certified Linux operating system foundation intended for the ongoing evolution of GM’s Ultifi software platform.

The collaboration between Red Hat and GM is a significant moment in the convergence of the transportation and technology industries, with Red Hat's cloud-native, enterprise-grade open source operating system accelerating the development of GM’s software-defined vehicle programs following Ultifi’s initial launch. This will enable both companies to offer customers more valuable features responsibly in a fraction of the typical development time.

In-vehicle software systems are complex and require high levels of cybersecurity protection and stringent certifications due to critical safety priorities. In current systems, these robust requirements can often lengthen the development process and make vehicle software updates difficult, with each update requiring recertification. Together, GM and Red Hat intend to make these complex vehicle updates simpler and more frequent by implementing continuous functional-safety certification into the Ultifi platform with Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System pioneering the continuous certification approach, announced last year.

The integrated software is expected to support a variety of in-vehicle safety- and non-safety-related applications, including infotainment, advanced driver assistance systems, body control and connectivity. The transportation industry can benefit from faster innovation and better sustainability through standardization with open source Linux and cloud-native technologies. Common standards can help increase software reuse and achieve a more scalable design process, giving GM the ability to dedicate more resources toward new personalized in-cabin experiences, vehicle modes and other features customers will enjoy.

With the integration of the Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System into the Ultifi platform, GM and Red Hat look to achieve:

• Reduced costs from consolidation and reuse of software across a common platform
• An improved development cycle for faster time-to-market with new customer features and software improvements
• A continuous functional safety certification for systems related to safety applications
• Creation of new services, business models and revenue streams

Red Hat will contribute to the phased rollout of Ultifi, GM’s end-to-end vehicle software platform which will launch in 2023. Ultifi will enable a frequent and more seamless delivery of software-defined features, apps and services to customers over-the-air. To do this, the platform separates the application software from the hardware to offer application program interfaces for software development. Creating a more flexible architecture unlocks the potential for more cloud-based services, faster software development and new value for customers without affecting basic hardware controls.

As a Linux-based system, Ultifi is designed to be universally usable for GM developers, suppliers and the developer community at large. Using Linux allows for skilled talent from many industries to quickly get up to speed and bolster innovation through non-traditional thinking. With numerous sensors and rich amounts of anonymized data, vehicle software presents a uniquely exciting opportunity for developers to work beyond the limits of typical consumer smart devices. In fact, authorized third-party developers who meet strict security, safety and privacy standards will be given access to innovate on Ultifi to benefit GM customers directly.

The automotive industry is at an inflection point as consumers begin to assess what the future of their driving experience could look like. As open source and automotive leaders, respectively, Red Hat and GM are poised to help define and connect the automotive ecosystem that will drive solutions for next-generation vehicles. Bringing Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System to the transportation industry better equips automakers to adopt rapid, open source innovation in the present and in the future.

Supporting Quotes
Francis Chow, vice president and general manager, In-Vehicle Operating System and Edge, Red Hat
“With millions of lines of code sustaining critical systems like driver assistance, fuel economy and more, modern vehicles are more like mobile high performance computers than the cars of the past. The time to innovate is now. These new vehicles give our industries a chance to create a common open platform without sacrificing functional safety. By collaborating with GM on the Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System, we intend to bring the era of open source to the automotive world, benefiting automakers, ecosystem partners and consumers.”

Scott Miller, vice president, Software Defined Vehicle and Operating System, General Motors
“General Motors is now a platform company and working with Red Hat is a critical element in advancing our Ultifi software development. Incorporating the company’s expertise in open source solutions and enterprise networks will pay dividends as we aim to provide the most developer-friendly software platform in the industry. With Red Hat’s operating system as a core enabler of Ultifi’s capabilities, the opportunity for innovation becomes limitless.”

Alex Oyler, director, North America, SBD Automotive
"While the automotive industry has been trying to find ways to leverage the open-source community for the past decade, the rise of the software-defined vehicle signifies their conjunction. The massive addressable domain of in-vehicle and edge software in modern vehicles necessitates an ecosystem-driven approach to reduce software development costs for automakers, nearly half of which is dedicated towards maintenance and triage. At the same time, maintaining strict compliance with safety standards mandates high levels of assurance in the underlying software. This partnership typifies the type of innovation possible when tech and automotive stalwarts combine their core experiences to create novel solutions that form the foundation of the software-defined vehicle."

Additional Resources

• The new standard: Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System in modern and future vehicles
• Red Hat and General Motors Collaborate to Trailblaze the Future of Software-Defined Vehicles
• Learn more about Red Hat Summit
• Visit the Red Hat Summit 2022 newsroom to read the latest announcements
• Follow @RedHatSummit or via the hashtag #RHSummit on Twitter
• Become a fan of Red Hat Summit on Facebook
• Learn more about Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System
• What’s new in automotive software?
• Red Hat Sets Sights on Delivering the First Continuously Certified Linux Platform for Road Vehicles

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About Red Hat, Inc.
Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver reliable and high-performing Linux, hybrid cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Red Hat helps customers integrate new and existing IT applications, develop cloud-native applications, standardize on our industry-leading operating system, and automate, secure, and manage complex environments. Award-winning support, training, and consulting services make Red Hat a trusted adviser to the Fortune 500. As a strategic partner to cloud providers, system integrators, application vendors, customers, and open source communities, Red Hat can help organizations prepare for the digital future.

About GM
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which powers everything from mass-market to high performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.

Red Hat’s Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on the company’s current assumptions regarding future business and financial performance. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially. Any forward-looking statement in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by law, the company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Red Hat, Red Hat Enterprise Linux and the Red Hat logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries. Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220510005195/en/

Media:

Chelsea Lawrence

Red Hat, Inc.

clawrence@redhat.com

+1 252-622-8406

Chris Bonelli

General Motors

Christopher.bonelli@gm.com

+1 313-348-6434

Source: Red Hat, Inc.

FAQ

What is the collaboration between Red Hat and GM about?

Red Hat and GM are collaborating to develop a functional-safety certified Linux-based in-vehicle operating system to enhance software-defined vehicles.

How will the Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System benefit GM?

It will enable faster software updates, reduce development costs, and improve cybersecurity for GM's Ultifi platform.

When is GM's Ultifi platform launching?

GM's Ultifi platform is expected to launch in 2023.

What features will the Red Hat In-Vehicle Operating System support?

It will support various applications, including infotainment, advanced driver assistance systems, body control, and connectivity.

What market impact does this partnership have for GM?

The partnership positions GM to innovate rapidly and create new business models while enhancing customer experiences in the automotive sector.