SUNNYVALE, Calif.– June 28, 2022 – Real-Time Innovations (RTI), the largest software framework company for autonomous systems, today announced RTI Connext Drive® 2.0, the production-grade connectivity framework for software-defined vehicles. Connext Drive now accelerates direct integrations into AUTOSAR Classic and ROS 2, enabling developers to leverage data-centric connectivity with familiar ecosystem architectures. This allows a faster start to build on existing, familiar platforms and eliminates the need for custom programming. It also minimizes overall system complexity and cost, while building a future-proof, evolving system that doesn’t compromise performance.

Connext Drive 2.0 offers an accelerated path to deliver high performance compute capabilities via safety-certification components and teleoperation plug-ins. Connext Drive is based on the Data Distribution Service (DDS™) standard, the leading data connectivity standard that has also been adopted by Automotive standard organizations, AUTOSAR and ROS. This will help OEMs rapidly design multiple vehicle architectures by selecting the optimal features and functions for any specific use case. New Connext Drive 2.0 features include:

• Connext Integration Toolkit for AUTOSAR Classic: includes a set of tools bridging AUTOSAR Classic ECU modeling and configuration workflows with RTI Connext Drive 2.0 for rapid and scalable communication of embedded, real-time and secure systems. This integration simplifies the design and evolution of DDS-enabled automotive ECUs.
• Connext ROS 2 Toolkit: includes a growing library of tools that eases ROS 2 and Connext Drive ecosystem integration, providing ROS 2 developers with a bridge to production-grade systems. Through this integration, users can slash latency in their ROS 2 systems through a custom ROS Middleware Wrapper developed by RTI.
• Connext Drive Launcher: helps users design a vehicle according to a specific use case, including Next Generation E/E, ADAS, Teleoperations, Simulation or High Performance Compute. By selecting the optimal features for a specific use case, developers achieve increased productivity and accelerated time to market. Users can now ease project development with direct access to the full set of utilities, services and tools available in Connext Drive.

With today’s announcement, Connext Drive 2.0 includes components safety-certified to ASIL D levels by TUV SUD – the highest level of software certification – ensuring functional vehicle safety to the needs of each individual component, from the ECU to the Central Gateways. Additionally, it now includes interoperability with two popular Real-Time Operating Systems: QNX for Safety over armv8; and AUTOSAR Classic OS implementation over Infineon TriCore, offering a reliable and low-risk path to safe, production-grade vehicles. Connext Drive 2.0 is in production vehicles on the road in the US, Europe and Asia.

“RTI Connext Drive helps address a fundamental challenge for the vehicle of tomorrow by providing a data-centric architecture,” said Nelson Quintana, Head of the Infineon Automotive Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC). “We recognize the value of such technology and look forward to expanding our cooperation with RTI to bring its DDS-based technology, combined with Infineon’s leading automotive microcontroller portfolio including the AURIX™ family, to enable next-generation E/E architectures.”

“Connext Drive 2.0 reinforces the market commitment from RTI by initiating a use-case driven product,” said Pedro Lopez Estepa, Market Development Director, Automotive at RTI. “At RTI, we’re dedicated to helping our customers overcome the current architectural limitations in automotive with a product that secures several annual releases including a long-term safety-certified modular solution to enable Autonomous and Electric Vehicle innovation.”

For more information on Connext Drive 2.0 and a full list of new features, please visit: www.rti.com/drive.

Availability and Pricing 

Connext Drive 2.0 is available today. For pricing and licensing, please contact drive@rti.com.

About RTI

Real-Time Innovations (RTI) is the largest software framework company for autonomous systems. RTI Connext is the world’s leading architecture for developing intelligent distributed systems. Uniquely, Connext shares data directly, connecting AI algorithms to real-time networks of devices to build autonomous systems.

RTI is the best in the world at ensuring our customers’ success in deploying production systems. With over 1,800 designs, RTI software runs over 250 autonomous vehicle programs, controls the largest power plants in North America, coordinates combat management on U.S. Navy ships, drives a new generation of medical robotics, enables flying cars, and provides 24/7 intelligence for hospital and emergency medicine. RTI runs a smarter world.

RTI is the leading vendor of products compliant with the Object Management Group® (OMG®) Data Distribution Service (DDS™) standard. RTI is privately held and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with regional offices in Colorado, Spain and Singapore.