Automotive OS has always been complicated and dazzling.
A year ago, ResearchInChina classified “Automotive OS” into four types:
1) Basic Auto OS: it refers to base auto OS such as AliOS, QNX, Linux, including all base components like system kernel, underlying driver and virtual machine.
2) Custom-made Auto OS: it is deeply developed and tailored on the basis of basic OS (together with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers) to eventually bring cockpit system platform or automated driving system platform into a reality. Examples are Baidu in-car OS and VW.OS.
3) ROM Auto OS: Customized development is based on Android (or Linux), instead of changing system kernel. MIUI is the typical system applied in mobile phone. Benz, BMW, NIO, XPeng and CHJ Automotive often prefer to develop ROM auto OS.
4) Super Auto APP (also called phone mapping system) refers to a versatile APP integrating map, music, voice, sociality, etc. to meet car owners’ needs. Examples are Carlife and CarPlay.
However, profound changes have taken place in the Automotive OS field so far. In this report, we classified Automotive OS from another perspective.
Many Automotive OS vendors have started from IVI OS, with the technological evolution: IVI OS–>Cockpit OS –>Vehicle OS. They are expected to head toward Vehicle OS after 2024.
In 2020, Banma SmartDrive proposed the evolution route of AliOS, namely Smart IVI OS–>Smart Cockpit OS –>Smart Vehicle OS.
Based on Tencent’s ecology, Phoenix Auto Intelligence follows the technology roadmap from Cockpit OS to Vehicle OS that integrates the cockpit domain and the autonomous driving domain.
Through the “open” and “ecological” approach, TINNOVE OS transfers Tencent’s ecosystem to the system and OEMs. At present, it has cooperated with Changan Automobile, Audi, Chery JETOUR, Ford and other brands. TINNOVE OS has been installed in more than a dozen models like Changan CS75Plus, UNI-T, CS35Plus and CS85 COUPE. Phoenix Auto Intelligence has recently reached in-depth cooperation with Qualcomm, and SemiDrive, etc.
Autonomous Driving OS and Domain Controllers Are Integrated to Be Autonomous Driving Computing Platform
With the popularity of software-defined vehicles and domain controllers, automakers, Tier1 suppliers and core chip vendors have been all making layout from the perspective of platforms and ecology.
Autonomous driving computing platform providers not only lay out Autonomous Driving OS, but also launch domain controllers, and build ecosystems based on computing platforms consisting of Autonomous Driving OS and domain controllers. With these autonomous driving platforms, OEMs and autonomous driving integrators no longer have to deal directly with the underlying operating system and chips, which can greatly simplify the development process and shorten the product cycle.
Neusoft Reach and AICC are typical autonomous driving computing platform providers.
Neusoft Reach’s next-generation autonomous driving computing platform includes the software platform NeuSAR3.0, the all-in-one X-Cube3.0 for ADAS, and the autonomous driving domain controller X-Box 3.0. In October 2021, Neusoft Reach was invested by SDIC and Virtue Capital with a total of RMB650 million.
In February 2021, AICC released the intelligent driving computing platform “Intelligent Vehicle Basic Brain” (iVBB) 1.0, including intelligent connected vehicle operation system (ICVOS), intelligent vehicle domain hardware (ICVHW), and intelligent connected vehicle-edge-cloud basic software (ICVEC). It features rapid application development, platformization, connectivity, scalability and compliance with automotive regulations.
Automotive OS investment soars, and market competition becomes fierce
In March 2021, Evergrande New Energy Vehicle and Phoenix Auto Intelligence signed an agreement to invest 60% and 40% respectively in establishing an operating system joint venture.
In July 2021, the veteran shareholders Alibaba Group, SAIC Group, SDIC, and Yunfeng Capital jointly injected RMB3 billion into Banma SmartDrive for further R&D and promotion of intelligent vehicle OS.
In June 2021, AICC the completed the angel financing of nearly RMB100 million. In October 2021, AICC raised hundreds of millions of yuan in the pre-A round of financing.
The background of the above three companies: Phoenix Auto Intelligence is backed up by Tencent, Alibaba is behind Banma SmartDrive, and AICC is supported by CICV (invested by more than a dozen traditional OEMs and Tier1 suppliers). Plus Baidu and Huawei, which are aggressive in the Automotive OS market, all players are powerful.
The competition in automotive computing platforms, including operating systems, is essentially ecological competition. Who can win the support of more software developers, component companies, service operators, etc. will dominate the future autonomous driving.
