The integration of Open Source Software (OSS) in functionally safe systems represents a critical intersection of innovation and compliance requirements across multiple industries. This talk examines two complementary aspects of this evolving landscape: the current state of OSS in functional safety applications and the persistent barriers hindering wider adoption.

2024 has marked significant acceleration in the visibility and adoption of OSS in safety-critical environments, with diverse projects demonstrating varying levels of maturity. Foundation-backed initiatives like the ELISA project within the Linux Foundation are establishing frameworks for Linux in safety applications, while specialized operating systems such as Zephyr and Xen continue to gain traction. The Eclipse Foundation's Safe Open Vehicle Core (S-Core) project represents another significant advancement, aiming to create a common certifiable automotive middleware stack that addresses critical safety requirements. The ecosystem now spans from microkernel solutions like L4Re and seL4 to full-featured platforms, with Linux serving as a prime example of the opportunities and challenges in this space. Infrastructure improvements like the SPDX safety profile address critical aspects of safety documentation in Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs), while safety-certified components like the Ferrocene Rust compiler create new possibilities for language-level safety guarantees.

Despite this progress, substantial barriers impede broader OSS adoption in functionally safe systems. A particularly persistent challenge remains the confusion around terminology and approaches - exemplified by the distinctions between "safety Linux" versus "safe Linux" that illustrate broader issues in how safety responsibility is allocated between OSS components and system-level mitigations. By examining architectural concepts currently implemented in production systems or under development, this presentation cuts through marketing rhetoric to provide clear distinctions between approaches across various open source technologies.

The author will address uncertainty around certification pathways, challenges in establishing sufficient evidence for safety arguments, fragmented governance models, and incomplete understanding of OSS development processes among safety assessors.

Attendees will gain practical insights for evaluating safety approaches in OSS-based systems, including key questions to ask when assessing different safety concepts across industries, with particular emphasis on applications where both manufacturers and suppliers are seeking to implement open source software in safety-critical production systems.

Key take-aways for the audience:

• (Software) Architectural concepts used in the usage of OSS in safety-critical systems.
• State of various project in their way to address functional safety.
• Approaches towards safe usage and certification by OSS projects.
• Understanding the marketing elements and tricks used to promote safe OSS.
• Better understanding about the OSS safety landscape.

Short Bio:

Philipp Ahmann is a Senior OSS Community Manager at ETAS GmbH (a Robert Bosch GmbH subsidiary), specializing in safety-critical and automotive-grade open source software. With over 15 years of experience in Linux-based automotive software platforms, Philipp has held various roles including Software Engineer, Technical Team Lead, Project & Line Manager. He also has experience in technical business development and product management for embedded open source software within Bosch, with a focus on Linux & IoT products. 

Currently, Philipp chairs the Technical Steering Committee for the ELISA (Enabling Linux in Safety Applications) project at the Linux Foundation and leads the project’s Systems Working Group. He is also regular committer to the Eclipse Foundation Safe Open Vehicle Core (S-Core) project. Additionally, he is advisory board member of the Linux Foundation Europe.

Thursday, September 25, 10.30 AM