Adaptation of Linux and *BSD in Automotive Embedded Software

The present in-vehicle multimedia systems are capable of reading different types of media such as CD/DVD drives, USB, IPOD etc. These systems are used to update and display the traffic information for navigation purposes, audio, video entertainment and also support a variety of broadcast systems like DAB, RDS apart from the standard AM and FM. The complexities of these systems have a direct impact on operating system capabilities which affect product development life cycles. Linux and BSD [Berkeley Software Division] based embedded software can reduce the product development life cycle because of their architecture. One of the major apprehensions about moving to the above mentioned automotive software development is that of intellectual property rights being affected.